Latest news with #RDB
Business Insider
14 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Bayern Munich football club withdraws sponsorship deal with Rwanda
German football giants, Bayern Munich has officially ended its commercial sponsorship agreement with the government of Rwanda, concluding a partnership that had aimed to promote the East African nation as a tourism and investment destination. Bayern Munich concluded its sponsorship agreement with the Rwanda government, transitioning to a developmental partnership. The revised three-year deal focuses on expanding Bayern's Youth Academy in Kigali for football talent development. Criticism regarding Rwanda's human rights record and DRC conflict influenced the change in the partnership. The deal, which had drawn scrutiny in both Germany and Rwanda, has now been restructured. According to a statement on FC Bayern Munich's official website, the club and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) have agreed to a new three-year arrangement that shifts the focus from tourism promotion to football development. Under the revised partnership, Bayern will expand its Youth Academy in Kigali, transitioning the relationship from a marketing sponsorship to a developmental initiative centred on talent cultivation and social impact. 'In constructive talks about our future direction, we agreed that a very special part of our relationship with RDB was the developmental nature of our work in Kigali through the FC Bayern Academy, ' said Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of FC Bayern Munich. ' We are therefore transforming our commercial partnership into a talent programme and expanding the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali together with the RDB as both a football and social initiative. This remains perfectly aligned with our strategic objective of developing playing talent in Africa. ' While the club's statement avoided directly addressing the reasons behind the change, German media widely reported that the decision followed increasing criticism of Rwanda's human rights record and its alleged support for armed groups involved in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Human rights, DRC conflict may have spurred Bayern exit Launched with Arsenal and PSG before extending to Bayern in 2023, the 'Visit Rwanda' campaign aimed to position the country as a global tourism hub. Rwanda reportedly paid Bayern €10 million annually for branding and youth football programs. While not officially stated, Bayern's withdrawal is widely linked to growing criticism of Rwanda's human rights record and its alleged role in the DRC conflict. The decision comes amid growing scrutiny in Germany of partnerships with authoritarian-leaning governments, particularly those involving state-funded tourism campaigns. In February, Bayern Munich supporters publicly expressed their disapproval, displaying a banner at a home match that accused the club of 'betraying its values' through the Rwanda partnership. Kigali has faced sustained allegations of suppressing dissent and supporting rebel groups destabilizing eastern DRC. This, combined with pressure from German media, civil society groups, and political figures, intensified calls for Bayern to reconsider its ties. The DRC government also urged international partners to distance themselves from Rwanda as violence in the region escalated. For Rwanda, the termination represents a reputational blow. The Kagame government has prioritized sports diplomacy, most notably through high-profile sponsorships with clubs like Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern, as a tool to reshape international perceptions and attract tourism.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Rwanda inks new three-year talent development agreement with Bayern
KIGALI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said Friday it has signed a three-year agreement with Germany's FC Bayern Munich focusing on talent development. The agreement to run until 2028 marks a strategic evolution of their partnership, transforming the relationship from a commercial sponsorship to a dedicated partnership focusing on football development in Rwanda through the expansion of the FC Bayern Youth Academy in Kigali, RDB said in a statement. "In constructive talks about our future direction, we agreed that a very special part of our relationship with RDB was the developmental nature of our work in Kigali through the FC Bayern Academy," Jan-Christian Dreesen, Chief Executive Officer of FC Bayern Munich, said. Jean-Guy Afrika, Chief Executive Officer of the RDB, said the success of the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali offers a great example of what strategic sports partnerships can achieve. "As we enter a new phase, we are refocusing our resources to accelerate sports development, with emphasis on talent identification, coaching excellence, and sports infrastructure," he said. Recently, two promising Rwandan footballers, Ndayishimiye Barthazar and David Okoce, were selected to the U19 FC Bayern World Squad for its 2025 edition.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Bayern Munich veers from Rwanda sponsorship after criticism
Bayern Munich has signalled it will cut down on 'Visit Rwanda' branding as it moves 'away from a commercial sponsorship' with the African nation facing a backlash over alleged support for rebels in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Bayern dismissed allegations of 'sportswashing' when it signed a five-year deal with Rwanda in 2023. It included advertisements in the stadium and what Bayern called events 'to promote tourism and investment opportunities in Rwanda'. At the time, it replaced a sponsorship deal with Qatar. Rwanda has similar sponsorships with European football giants like Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. Some Bayern fans displayed a large banner at a game in February protesting against the deal amid accusations from the United Nations that Rwanda has backed rebels in the DRC. Now the German football champions say they have reached a new deal with Rwanda that turns the existing sponsorship into a three-year agreement focusing on developing young football players at a Bayern-affiliated academy in the country. 'In constructive talks about our future direction, we agreed that a very special part of our relationship with [the Rwanda Development Board (RDB)] was the developmental nature of our work in Kigali through the FC Bayern Academy,' Bayern Chief Executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said on Friday in a statement. 'We are therefore transforming our commercial partnership into a talent programme and expanding the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali together with the RDB as both a football and social initiative. This remains perfectly aligned to our strategic objective of developing playing talent in Africa.' Bayern didn't specify how soon it would drop 'Visit Rwanda' branding as part of the move, which it described as a transition. As of Friday afternoon, the branding was still displayed under a section of the Bayern website listing club sponsors and partners. RDB Chief Executive Jean-Guy Afrika was quoted by Bayern as saying the changes to the partnership aimed to 'accelerate sports development', adding: 'This continued partnership with FC Bayern helps ensure that talent development remains anchored in our broader vision to position Rwanda as a global hub for tourism, investment, and high-performance sport.' Rwanda's presence in European football has grown steadily since 2018 when it first partnered with Arsenal to put 'Visit Rwanda' branding on the London club's shirt sleeves. An agreement with PSG was signed in 2019 and renewed in April this year. It covers branding in the stadium and included shirt-sleeve sponsorship at the Club World Cup. A three-year deal to sponsor Atletico was agreed in April, including branding on training and warm-up shirts. Rwanda is accused of supporting the M23 rebel group, the strongest of more than 100 armed groups vying for dominance in the mineral-rich eastern DRC just across the border from Rwanda. Rwanda also has been accused of exploiting the eastern DRC's minerals, used in smartphones, advanced fighter jets and much more. Rwandan authorities alleged that some of the people who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide fled to the DRC and are either working with or are being protected by the Congolese army. They have denied involvement in the DRC's minerals sector and said any security action taken is to protect its own territory.
Straits Times
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Concert review: Red Dot Baroque's sublime collaboration with Andreas Scholl and Sarah Traubel
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Esplanade Concert Hall July 20, 5pm A proper and sustained pursuit of baroque music-making in Singapore may be said to have begun with Red Dot Baroque (RDB) in 2018, led by founding artistic director, violinist and Young Artist Award recipient Alan Choo.
Miami Herald
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II Black Badge gets the wide-body treatment
It was only a matter of time before the aftermarket got its hands on the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, the face-lifted version of Rolls' SUV, and it appears that trend is in full swing. Los Angeles-based RDB LA recently unveiled a Cullinan Series II Black Badge with a bit more street presence, courtesy of a wide-body kit from 1016 Industries. This is actually the second Cullinan Series II to roll out (no pun intended) of RDB with one of these body kits, which sell for up to $100,000. The first, unveiled just month, had 26-inch RDB wheels and a body painted black. This one retains black wheels, but they're contrasted by Tempest Grey paint. It also takes things a bit further with thin LED daytime running lights mounted in the lower part of the front bumper. Modifying an expensive car will likely always be controversial, but Rolls-Royce customers have plenty of cash and appetite for personalization, as evidenced by the automaker's massive catalog of paint and trim options. And it's more likely than not that those customers will be buying a Cullinan, which become Rolls' bestselling model after debuting in 2018. The Cullinan Series II launched in 2024 as a mid-cycle refresh, although changes were small, LED jowls on the outside and a more contemporary dashboard screen arrangement inside being the highlights. Also offered on the pre-refresh Cullinan, the Black Badge spec adds darkened trim. Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 6.7-liter V12-producing 591 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque in Black Badge models-connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
