The Head of State hosted the legends on Wednesday 9th February 2022 at Village Urugwiro.
They were accompanied by their families and different officials including the CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Clare Akamanzi and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Shema Maboko Didier.
Kagame is a prominent fan of Arsenal FC.
The two Arsenal legends have been in Rwanda for five-day visit related to agreements signed between RDB and Arsenal to promote Rwanda’s visibility through Visit Rwanda campaign.
During their stay in Rwanda, they visited different touristic attractions of the country including Nyungwe and Virunga National Parks.
Before meeting with President Kagame, Robert Pires and Ray Parlour interacted with Arsenal fans in Rwanda at Kigali Serena Hotel on the same day.
As they met with fans, the duo revealed that they enjoyed memorable experience in Rwanda particularly hiking, visiting gorillas and other parts of the country being with friends and families.
Arsenal and RDB initially teamed up back in 2018 with Visit Rwanda becoming the Gunners’ official tourism partner, as well as the club’s first sleeve sponsor. That contract was reportedly worth US$30 million over three years.
By the end of the first year of the partnership, Rwanda’s tourism revenue increased by 17% to US$498 million in 2019 from US$425 million in 2018.
Leisure tourists from Europe increased by 22% and by 17% from the UK.
In 2021, RDB announced that the partnership with Arsenal Football Club was extended whereby the ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo will continue to feature on the Premier League club’s left sleeve.
At the time, RDB announced that the renewed partnership will build on the gains made over the last 3 years and ‘contribute towards Rwanda’s economic recovery strategy following the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism sector’.
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