NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Democratic Republic of Congo has asked the NBA to end the sponsorship deals of its Basketball Africa League with Rwandan entities, citing the occupation of Rwandan troops in country’s eastern region, according to a memo sent to Reuters.
The memo comes after similar appeals to Formula One, which is in talks with Rwanda to host a race, and soccer clubs including Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain that have sponsorship deals with Rwanda.
“By maintaining ties with a government engaged in violent expansionism, the NBA risks undermining its own credibility and moral standing,” foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said in a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
The memo cited two sponsorship deals in particular, with “Visit Rwanda” and “RwandAir.”
When contacted by Reuters, an NBA spokesperson said: “We will continue to follow U.S. government guidance everywhere we operate.”
Fighting between the army and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo has killed thousands since early 2022 and displaced more than 1 million people.
The Basketball Africa League operates 12 teams, including APR Basketball Club, out of Kigali, Rwanda.
“I suggest that the NBA consider whether its affiliation with Rwanda aligns with the league’s commitment to social justice and respect for human rights,” Wagner wrote.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, Ange Kasongo in Kinshasa and Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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