The newspaper Le Parisien has reported a political statement on the issue of the partnership between Visit Rwanda and PSG. Four members of the Nouveau Front Populaire followed the lead of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who called for an end to the agreement between the clubs and their sponsor. Visit Rwanda supports the M23 rebel group. Rwanda is going through a dark period, with many victims to be deplored.
“Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, urged PSG, Arsenal and Bayern Munich to end a ”blood-stained“ agreement”
“As we reported in early March, ”Visit Rwanda“, one of PSG’s ”premium” sponsors, has been in the sights of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the start of the conflict taking place in North Kivu between the DRC and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group. In early February, DRC Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner urged PSG, Arsenal and Bayern Munich to end a “blood-stained” agreement. The English club, adulated by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and the German club are also sponsored by “Visit Rwanda”, the government’s tourism arm.
For several weeks now, the issue has also been making its way onto the French political scene. This Wednesday, four deputies from La France Insoumise (LFI), elected in 2024 under the Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) label, are calling for “an immediate end to this partnership” and for a ‘rally’ this Sunday, April 6 at 2pm in front of the Parc des Princes “to say stop to the partnership of shame” between PSG and “Visit Rwanda”. The letter is signed by Carlos Martens Bilongo, MP for Val-d’Oise and President of the France-RDC friendship group at the French National Assembly, Clémence Guetté, MP for Val-de-Marne and Vice-President of the Assembly, Aurélien Taché, MP for Val-d’Oise and Thomas Portes, MP for Seine-Saint-Denis.”
Soccer must also be able to convey the best messages, because of its popularity and international visibility. It’s clear that the situation in the Congo is serious and that strong action is needed to calm things down. If the political caste isn’t reacting in numbers, it’s also because the problems in Africa are given far less prominence.
It’s time to move on, the deaths in the world are unacceptable in the name of a never-ending conflict. It may be an important sponsor, but there’s also the image it reflects, and maybe it’s time to open our eyes. Be careful, it’s a complex subject and PSG may have to find a way out.
