Mpayimana made the comments in a letter addressed to Dutch Parliament after the MPs were quoted in media criticizing the Rwanda-Arsenal deal.
Dutch media last week wrote that MPs wondered why a country which receives so much aid is able to invest €30 million in sponsoring Arsenal’s shirts.
MPs criticized the deal saying that it is disheartening to see such deals being made, while the international community is trying to tackle the poverty.
According to Mpayimana the reaction to the choice of the Government of Rwanda to promote Rwandan tourism through Arsenal is baseless.
He said that helping Africa should not give them rights to shape their decisions.
“Visit Rwanda by Arsenal has made the West react, but for me, helping Africa does not prevent it from making its leadership choices between urgency and priority. Welcome To The Country Of Thousand Hills,” the letter reads in part.
“Your reaction to the choice of the government of Rwanda to sponsor an English football team Arsenal to promote its tourism should not go without the reaction of Rwandans including me. As an independent citizen and politician, not based on the decisions taken by officials of my country, I can only tell you the side of my people to guide your next consultation on development aid to Rwanda in particular or Africa general,” he said.
He requested them not to regret the assistance Dutch allocated to Rwanda and requested them to consider increasing it in their budget estimates for more development cooperation.
“Please do not seek to change the plan of government priorities in the countries you are helping, but rather change the allocation of the aid you are distributing to Africa,” he urged.
Mpayimana emphasized that Rwandan economy relies on tourism and that a foreign country condemning Rwanda’s choice is an outrage and overlooking her sovereignty.
He said that Dutch Ms’ reaction is part of the old colonial beliefs that development aid aims at subjecting leaders to obedience rather than collaboration for the good of the people.
Last week Rwanda Development Board (RDB) announced that Rwanda is to become the official tourism partner of Arsenal and the Premier League football club’s first ever shirt sleeve partner, a deal which raised debate among different people.
The three-year partnership, according to RDB will see the new “Visit Rwanda” logo featured on the left sleeve of all first team, under-23 and Arsenal Women’s matches from the new season starting in August.
The deal will among others highlight Rwanda’s tourism offerings such as the National Parks, which are attracting big numbers of tourists due to growing variety of wildlife including black rhino, lions, zebra, chimpanzees and the famous mountain gorillas, as well as the investment opportunities in the country.
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