Spanish football giant FC Barcelona has signed a multi-million euro tourism sponsorship agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), a deal that comes months after Kinshasa openly criticised similar partnerships between European clubs and Rwanda.

According to a contract dated June 29 and reported by Reuters on Thursday, the four-year agreement is worth over €40 million ($46.4 million) and will see the slogan “The Heart of Africa” branded on the backs of Barcelona’s training and warm-up jerseys for both the men’s and women’s teams.

The DR Congo logo will also feature in club advertising, the official magazine, and the annual report, the contract shows.

Under the agreement, DR Congo will pay between €10 million and €11.5 million annually over four seasons.

Neither FC Barcelona nor DR Congo’s Ministry of Tourism has officially announced the deal.

Recent European deals

This Barcelona agreement is the latest in a string of sponsorships DR Congo has secured with elite European football clubs. Last month, AS Monaco and AC Milan also entered deals with the country, although the financial details were not disclosed at the time.

However, Sports Minister Didier Budimbu confirmed to Reuters that the Monaco agreement is worth €1.6 million ($1.85 million) per season. A government source added that the deal with AC Milan is valued at €14 million ($16.2 million) per year.

Tourism Minister Didier M’Pambia in June described the partnerships as a move to “reposition the DRC on the international stage as an undisputed leader on the African continent.”

Meanwhile, DR Congo had earlier criticized Rwanda’s ongoing “Visit Rwanda” campaigns with top clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain.

In February, DR Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner publicly urged the clubs to end their “blood-stained” sponsorship deals with Rwanda.

The appeal came in the wake of an M23 rebel advance in eastern DR Congo, which led to the seizure of Goma, a major city in the region.

While Rwanda denies supporting the M23 rebels, a UN panel of experts reported earlier this month that Kigali exercised “command and control” over the group’s military operations. The report, seen by Reuters, said Rwanda’s involvement allowed it to gain political leverage and access to mineral-rich territories.

Despite the conflict and political tensions, DR Congo is forging ahead with its campaign to position itself as a prime destination for tourism and investment, using high-profile football partnerships as a global promotional platform.

Although, Afrocover, recently reported that Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement in Washington.

The move aimed at halting decades of conflict in Africa’s Great Lakes region, but one that also potentially grants the United States access to vast mineral wealth beneath Congolese soil.