Arsenal’s partnership with the Rwanda Development Board will come to an end when the current Premier League season concludes.
The partnership spanned eight seasons and saw Visit Rwanda beamed around the world on a weekly basis as the Gunners’ first Official Sleeve Partner.
According to Visit Rwanda, the organisation intends to ‘diversify its global sports partnerships and expand into new markets’
The partnership between the organisation and the Gunners had a measurably positive impact on Rwanda, with recorded growth of the country’s tourism industry.
Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer Jean-Guy Afrika said in a statement on the Arsenal website: “We are proud of what this partnership has achieved over many years of collaboration. It broke new ground for tourism boards around the world, driving awareness and visitation for Rwandan tourism at a pace traditional campaigns could never match. And whilst we are now focused on expanding that momentum into new sports and new markets, we remain grateful to Arsenal for its support, partnership, and shared belief in Rwanda’s story over the past eight years.
“We look forward to continuing our relationship with the wider Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Group through our recent partnerships with the LA Rams and So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles, and we remain a fully committed and engaged partner of Arsenal’s men’s and women’s teams for the remainder of the season. We wish them all the very best in their continuing quest for even more sporting success in the months ahead.”
Arsenal Chief Executive Officer Richard Garlick added: “Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey. Over many years, we’ve worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation efforts and built many new connections with our supporters across Africa.
“The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions – helping us invest in our long-term vision to win major trophies, in a financially sustainable way. We thank the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and what we’ve delivered together.”
