Events in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have thrown into sharp focus sponsorship deals involving the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the French football champions Paris Saint-Germain as well as Bayern Munich and Arsenal.
All three teams advanced on Tuesday and Wednesday to the quarter-finals of the Champions League to continue the projection of the RDB's "Visit Rwanda" logo in European club football's most prestigious competition.
PSG progressed at the expense of Liverpool following a penalty shoot-out at Anfield. Bayern cruised past Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 on aggregate and Arsenal spanked the Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven 9-3 over two legs.
In the last eight, PSG will play Aston Villa, Bayern will take on Inter Milan and Arsenal will face defending champions Real Madrid.
While the clubs battle for supremacy, their association with the RDB is coming under increasing scrutiny due to rows over the involvement of Rwandan troops in the M23 group which is fighting soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Human rights groups as well as the United Nations say they have evidence that Rwanda is actively bolstering the M23 in its sweep through Goma and Bukavu in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
Authorities in Kigali deny providing arms and troops to M23 rebels. They say Rwandan forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and militias hostile to Rwandans, especially Tutsi.
Possible deal
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