Latest news with #VisitRwanda
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ruiz and Hakimi on target as PSG muzzle Arsenal to reach Champions League final
Ruiz and Hakimi on target as PSG muzzle Arsenal to reach Champions League final Achraf Hakimi (left) and Fabian Ruiz (right) scored Paris Saint-Germain's goals in the 2-1 win over Arsenal that took the side into the final of the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain moved into the 2025 Champions League final against Inter Milan following a 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Wednesday night. Leading 1-0 from the first leg in north London on 29 April, PSG extended their aggregate advantage to 2-0 after 27 minutes of the second leg at the Parc des Princes. Spain international Fabian Ruiz thrashed home from the edge of the penalty area to calm the nerves of the hosts. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Midway through the second-half Vitinha fluffed a penalty that would have given PSG a 3-0 aggregate lead. But minutes after his weak kick, substitute Ousmane Dembélé set up Achraf Hakimi for the strike that brought an explosion of joy from the PSG faithful. As the home fans sang about their impending excursion to the final in Munich on 31 May, Mikel Merino outmuscled PSG skipper Marquinhos on the left wing and drove towards the PSG penalty area. His cross was deflected into the path of Bukayo Saka who rounded the PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma to halve the deficit on the night after 76 minutes. Arsenal pushed for the goals to force extra-time but PSG held firm to seal a 3-1 aggregate success and second trip to the final in five years. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement 'I said from the first day that our goal was to work hard enough to be in a position to make history and that remains our goal,' said PSG boss Luis Enrique. Progress 'We believe in our coach and we believe in our talented, young, hungry players," PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi told CBS Sports. "PSG have gone through and we're absolutely gutted but this doesn't define us for sure.' Read more on RFI English Read also: PSG signs new Visit Rwanda deal despite backlash over DRC links PSG boss Enrique hails side's progress since Champions League upset at Arsenal Champions League: Lille fluff their lines as Villa set up PSG clash
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Rwanda becomes first African sponsor for football giants, Atlético Madrid
The 'Visit Rwanda' campaign has secured a new partnership with Spanish football giants Atlético Madrid, expanding its growing roster of elite football club sponsors. Rwanda's 'Visit Rwanda' campaign partners with Atlético Madrid, adding to its sponsorship deals with Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich The deal includes a technical development component for young Rwandan players and coaches Critics have raised concerns about the government prioritizing sponsorships over pressing domestic concerns This latest three-year sponsorship agreement makes Atlético Madrid the fourth major European club to feature Rwanda's tourism branding, following similar deals with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Bayern Munich. As part of the partnership, the "Visit Rwanda" logo will appear on the kits of both Atlético Madrid's men's and women's teams beginning next season. The move is part of Rwanda's strategic push to market itself as a premier global tourism and investment destination through high-profile sports marketing. Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, said: 'Through this collaboration, we aim to showcase Rwanda as an attractive destination for investors, a unique experience for global travelers, and a platform for nurturing talent and expanding opportunities for young Africans through sport. ' Óscar Mayo, Atlético de Madrid's General Director of Revenue and Operations, emphasized: ' Visit Rwanda's great importance as a partner in our club's goal of international expansion. We are always looking for partners with global solvency, linked to football and Visit Rwanda is an example of this. It is a country in constant growth and I am convinced that we will both benefit from this partnership.' The deal also includes a technical development component that will grant young Rwandan players and coaches access to Atlético Madrid's world-class training expertise. Protests mount over 'Visit Rwanda' sponsorships While the Rwandan government celebrates this milestone, critics—including some human rights organizations—have questioned the country's priorities, arguing that high-profile sponsorships come at the expense of pressing domestic concerns such as governance, civil liberties, and press freedom. This new partnership comes amid ongoing protests from Arsenal supporters, who have criticized the club's association with Rwanda due to the country's alleged involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to the BBC, Arsenal's management has declined to comment on the activities of a new rights group within the club - the Gunners for Peace campaign, which is pressuring the club to drop its sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda. The Congolese government also protested the sponsorship deals, urging clubs like Arsenal to cancel their partnerships with Visit Rwanda. This call to action stems from allegations of Rwanda's involvement in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which the Congolese government strongly condemns. A Rwanda government spokesperson defended their sports partnerships, saying they help boost the country's economy.
United News of India
01-05-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Atletico de Madrid becomes partner in Rwanda's global tourism push
Kigali, May 1 (UNI) Rwanda and Atletico de Madrid, a Spain-based football club, have entered into a partnership to promote the Visit Rwanda tourism brand, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said. The deal marks Atletico Madrid's first-ever commercial collaboration with an African brand, according to the RDB statement issued Wednesday. The multi-year partnership, running until June 30, 2028, "reflects Rwanda's strategic ambition to position itself as a premier global hub for investment, tourism, and sports development," Jean-Guy Afrika, chief executive officer of the RDB, was quoted as saying. As a premium partner, Visit Rwanda will feature prominently on the front of Atletico de Madrid's men's first team training and warm-up kits for the remainder of the current La Liga season, including the Club World Cup. From next season, the branding will also appear on the women's first team training kits and on the back of official match jerseys for both teams, the statement added. According to the RDB, the agreement includes significant visibility across Atletico de Madrid's home stadium Riyadh Air Metropolitano, digital platforms and global fan engagement campaigns. Rwanda has also been designated as the club's official training partner, official tourism destination partner, and official coffee supplier, offering a global stage to promote Rwanda's renowned coffee and hospitality. Beyond branding and tourism promotion, the collaboration is expected to support the technical development of football in Rwanda by granting young players and coaches access to Atletico de Madrid's world-class expertise and training programs. Visit Rwanda is the tourism arm of the RDB, which spearheads Rwanda's economic transformation by enabling private sector-led growth. UNI XINHUA GNK
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Visit Rwanda signs new deal as Arsenal protests continue
While Arsenal fans continue protesting about the club's sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda, the African country's tourism board has signed a deal with another top European football side. Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have agreed a three-year contract with Visit Rwanda, and their men's and women's teams will carry its logo on their shirts next season. Rwanda's long-standing partnerships with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain have come under the spotlight after increased violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since January. The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of arming M23 rebels and sending troops to support the militants. Despite assertions from both the United Nations and United States, Rwanda has denied supporting the M23. A section of Arsenal's support has formed a group named Gunners for Peace and are calling on the Premier League club not to renew its deal with Visit Rwanda as the partnership does not fit the club's "values and standards". They believe the sleeve sponsorship, which is reportedly worth more than £10m ($13.3m) per year, runs out at the end of this season. The group has distributed armbands to cover up the Visit Rwanda logo on kits, and held a protest outside the Emirates Stadium ahead of Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie. A small number of fans of the French club donned the armbands and joined followers of the north London outfit in standing behind a banner reading 'Drop Visit Rwanda'. "I stand with human rights and am not with this kind of sponsor," PSG fan Chakib told BBC Sport Africa. "We are rivals in football but we are brothers to defend human rights." Arsenal said the club will not be commenting on the Gunners for Peace campaign, while a Rwanda government spokesperson has defended their sports partnerships and said they helped boost the country's economy. PSG recently renewed its partnership with Visit Rwanda until 2028, while Bayern's deal expires the same year. Fans of both sides have held up banners criticising the partnerships during games this season. What's the fighting in DR Congo all about? The evidence that shows Rwanda is backing rebels in DR Congo Your phone, a rare metal and the war in DR Congo The deals with top European clubs tie into Rwanda's ambition to position itself as a premier global hub for investment, tourism and sports development. But Rwanda's government has been accused of investing in sport to enhance its image amid accusations of human rights violations in the country - a strategy labelled by critics as 'sportswashing'. Alongside the Visit Rwanda partnerships, Kigali is set to be the venue for cycling's World Road Championships in September but hopes of the country hosting a Formula 1 race appear to have receded. The Rwandan government said its sports partnerships had played an important role in the country's "economic transformation" since 1994, and that the tourism campaign helped generate nearly $650m (£488m) in tourism revenues last year. Regarding the latest deal, Jean-Guy Afrika, the chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, said Atletico Madrid's "values of resilience, discipline, and excellence" closely aligned with Rwanda's "national ethos and transformation journey". The Visit Rwanda logo will be visible immediately, as it will appear on the front of Atletico's men's first team's training and warm-up kits in the remaining five matches of the La Liga season as well as during the Fifa Club World Cup in June and July. From next season, it will also appear on the women's first team's training and warm-up kits and on the back of shirts of both of the club's senior teams. An Atletico official highlighted that Rwanda was a country "in constant growth" and added the deal had "great importance" as part of the club's aims of international expansion. The decades-long conflict in eastern DR Congo has intensified since January when M23 staged an unprecedented offensive, seizing the cities of Goma and Bukavu and sparking fears of a wider regional war. Rwanda has said its forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and allied militias, some of which it accuses of links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. DR Congo also accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting its mineral deposits, which Rwanda denies. At the end of last week DR Congo and Rwanda signed an agreement to respect each other's sovereignty and come up with a draft peace deal by Friday. That agreement in Washington DC came about after the government in Kinshasa turned to the United States for help in exchange for access to mineral deposits, and both sides now expect significant investments facilitated by the US government and private sector. Meanwhile, DR Congo and the M23 group said last week that they were committed to peace, expressing hopes that a permanent ceasefire could be reached. More than a week of talks mediated by Qatar have been described as "frank and constructive". Congolese Arsenal fan Tresor Kudabika, who is part of the Gunners for Peace campaign, said that peace negotiations would not change their ultimate target of getting the club to end the Visit Rwanda deal. "Some way or another we will find a way to end this conflict, but it is not the right moment for Arsenal to keep this deal," he told BBC Sport Africa. "It is not giving a good image."
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Visit Rwanda signs new deal as Arsenal protests continue
While Arsenal fans continue protesting about the club's sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda, the African country's tourism board has signed a deal with another top European football giants Atletico Madrid have agreed a three-year contract with Visit Rwanda, and their men's and women's teams will carry its logo on their shirts next long-standing partnerships with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain have come under the spotlight after increased violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since Congolese government accuses Rwanda of arming M23 rebels and sending troops to support the militants. Despite assertions from both the United Nations and United States, Rwanda has denied supporting the M23.A section of Arsenal's support has formed a group named Gunners for Peace and are calling on the Premier League club not to renew its deal with Visit Rwanda as the partnership does not fit the club's "values and standards".They believe the sleeve sponsorship, which is reportedly worth more than £10m ($13.3m) per year, runs out at the end of this group has distributed armbands to cover up the Visit Rwanda logo on kits, and held a protest outside the Emirates Stadium ahead of Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.A small number of fans of the French club donned the armbands and joined followers of the north London outfit in standing behind a banner reading 'Drop Visit Rwanda'. "I stand with human rights and am not with this kind of sponsor," PSG fan Chakib told BBC Sport Africa."We are rivals in football but we are brothers to defend human rights."Arsenal said the club will not be commenting on the Gunners for Peace campaign, while a Rwanda government spokesperson has defended their sports partnerships and said they helped boost the country's recently renewed its partnership with Visit Rwanda until 2028, while Bayern's deal expires the same of both sides have held up banners criticising the partnerships during games this season. Rwanda's values 'align' with Atletico's The deals with top European clubs tie into Rwanda's ambition to position itself as a premier global hub for investment, tourism and sports Rwanda's government has been accused of investing in sport to enhance its image amid accusations of human rights violations in the country - a strategy labelled by critics as 'sportswashing'.Alongside the Visit Rwanda partnerships, Kigali is set to be the venue for cycling's World Road Championships in September but hopes of the country hosting a Formula 1 race appear to have Rwandan government said its sports partnerships had played an important role in the country's "economic transformation" since 1994, and that the tourism campaign helped generate nearly $650m (£488m) in tourism revenues last the latest deal, Jean-Guy Afrika, the chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, said Atletico Madrid's "values of resilience, discipline, and excellence" closely aligned with Rwanda's "national ethos and transformation journey".The Visit Rwanda logo will be visible immediately, as it will appear on the front of Atletico's men's first team's training and warm-up kits in the remaining five matches of the La Liga season as well as during the Fifa Club World Cup in June and next season, it will also appear on the women's first team's training and warm-up kits and on the back of shirts of both of the club's senior Atletico official highlighted that Rwanda was a country "in constant growth" and added the deal had "great importance" as part of the club's aims of international expansion. Sovereignty agreement and peace talks The decades-long conflict in eastern DR Congo has intensified since January when M23 staged an unprecedented offensive, seizing the cities of Goma and Bukavu and sparking fears of a wider regional has said its forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and allied militias, some of which it accuses of links to the 1994 Rwandan Congo also accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting its mineral deposits, which Rwanda the end of last week DR Congo and Rwanda signed an agreement to respect each other's sovereignty and come up with a draft peace deal by agreement in Washington DC came about after the government in Kinshasa turned to the United States for help in exchange for access to mineral deposits, and both sides now expect significant investments facilitated by the US government and private DR Congo and the M23 group said last week that they were committed to peace, expressing hopes that a permanent ceasefire could be than a week of talks mediated by Qatar have been described as "frank and constructive".Congolese Arsenal fan Tresor Kudabika, who is part of the Gunners for Peace campaign, said that peace negotiations would not change their ultimate target of getting the club to end the Visit Rwanda deal."Some way or another we will find a way to end this conflict, but it is not the right moment for Arsenal to keep this deal," he told BBC Sport Africa."It is not giving a good image."
