The renewal of the “Visit Rwanda” contract which links PSG and Rwanda arises while Rwanda is accused of supporting the AFC/m23 rebels militarily and financially.
Currently, Qatar is engaged in mediation aimed at putting an end to the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, a country where the emirate has major financial interests. However, the Parisian football club is chaired by Qatari Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and partly belongs to the businessman Abdullah Al-Thani, also of Qatar.
André Byadunia’s reaction
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A PSG fans petition
The extension of the contract also ignored a petition launched at the end of January by supporters of the Parisian club. This petition, which requested the cessation of this partnership due to the involvement of Kigali in the conflict in the east of the DRC, collected 75,000 signatures. André Byudunia, honorary coordinator of the South South Society- Kivu, does not hide it: he is disappointed.
“This is really spitting on the memory of the thousands of Congolese who perish day and night. The Congolese government should push its diplomacy very far to see if before the expiration of this partnership, in 2028, we can help us to cancel it”he said
“Blood stained agreement”
In February 2025, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the head of Congolese diplomacy, had, in a letter addressed to the Parisian club, claimed to end this agreement “Strolled with blood”.
MP Lambert Mende Omalanga attacks France more than in Qatar.
He says that “What PSG is done is perceived by the Congolese as an act of enmity on the part of France. Because it is still a French club. That it is possessed by Qatari interests, that is another thing. But the perception that we have here is that France blows hot and cold”.
-Financial interests
Patrick Mboyo, researcher in public law and political science at Paris-Saclay University, says he is not surprised by the renewal of this partnership, because Qatar, owner of PSG, has enormous interests in Rwanda.
According to him, it was utopian to expect the termination of the partnership between Qatar and Rwanda.
Patrick Mboyo’s interview
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“The company Qatar Airways and the Rwandair company concluded an agreement in October 2024, which allows Qatar Airways to have 49% of the shares of the Rwandair company”, supports the researcher.
Seeming to ignore the conflict in eastern DRC, the PSG press release announcing the renewal of this partnership declares that “As part of the extension of this adventure, the partnership will strengthen the global presence of Rwanda as a leading tourist and cultural destination, thanks to increased visibility”.
Visit Rwanda ?
The logo will also appear on the round of jerseys during the Club World Cup organized this summer in the United States this summer.
The partnership includes the appearance of the Visit Rwanda logo on PSG Academy training kits based in the United States and Canada, as well as on the Channel of the PSG first male team jersey during the FIFA 2025 club World Cup which will be held in the United States this summer, said a press release from the Parisian club.
Arsenal, whose president Kagame is a fan, and Bayern Munich are also sponsored by “Visit Rwanda”, the tourist branch of the Rwandan government.
