FC Barcelona Agree Sponsorship Deal with DR Congo to Promote Tourism
Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to pay more than 40 million euros ($46.37 million) in a sponsorship deal with Spanish soccer club Barcelona that would see a logo promoting tourism appear on some team apparel, according to a contract seen on Thursday.
The contract with Barcelona is dated June 29 and stipulates that a logo branding the war-hit Central African country as the "heart of Africa" will appear on the backs of training and warm-up jerseys for the men's and women's teams.
The logo will also appear in advertising for the club and in the club magazine and annual report, the contract says.
Congo will pay the club between 10 million and 11.5 million euros annually over the next four seasons, it says.
Details of the deal between Congo and Barcelona have not been announced.
AS Monaco and AC Milan last month also announced sponsorship deals with Congo without disclosing the amounts.
Congolese sports minister Didier Budimbu told Reuters the contract with AS Monaco is worth 1.6 million euros per season. He did not disclose the amounts for the contracts with AC Milan and Barcelona.
A Congolese government source said the contract with AC Milan was worth 14 million euros per season.
Announcing the AC Milan deal on June 20, Congolese tourism minister Didier M'Pambia said it was part of a government strategy "to reposition the DRC on the international stage as an undisputed leader on the African continent" by promoting tourism and investment opportunities.
Congo's tourism ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, while Barcelona told Reuters they had no comment at this time.
In February Congo’s foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner urged football clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain to end their "blood-stained" sponsorship agreements with "Visit Rwanda".
The appeal came less than a week after M23 rebels seized eastern Congo's biggest city, Goma as part of a lightning advance.
Rwanda denies backing M23, saying it is defending itself.
A report by a group of United Nations experts obtained by Reuters this month said Kigali exercised command and control over the rebels during their advance, gaining political influence and access to mineral-rich territory.