A small but powerful African nation is bringing Formula 1 back to the continent. Not everyone is celebrating

Jean Baptiste Nkurunziza/AFP/Getty Images

Formula One is to return to Africa for the first time in more than three decades, with Rwanda granted a 10-year contract to host a Grand Prix from the early 2030s – a deal described by F1 chief Stefano Domenicali as a “landmark” moment .

For Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the race offers a chance to attract more visitors and investment to the East African nation and raise its global profile. Kagame has led the country for decades, and his government has long been accused of abuses over its treatment of political opponents, journalists and other critics.

The race will be branded the Formula 1 African Grand Prix , presented by Visit Rwanda, the country’s tourism-promotion brand. But while Domenicali says F1 is “showing the world what it means to be a country that has a vision,” Rwanda’s use of sports to promote itself internationally has drawn criticism from human rights groups. Meanwhile, allegations of its support for M23 rebels in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have also raised questions about the image it hopes to project.

Rwanda has spent years building its international profile through sports. Its Visit Rwanda campaign has partnered with prominent European soccer clubs, including Arsenal , Paris Saint-Germain , Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich , though the arrangements have varied. Arsenal’s eight-season partnership ended in June 2026, while PSG’s agreement runs through 2028. Bayern shifted its deal toward youth development in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, after facing criticism over the partnership.

In July, English Premier League side Aston Villa signed a multi-year Visit Rwanda sponsorship agreement reportedly worth around £20 million (roughly $26.8 million) a year. Human rights campaigners, including Amnesty International UK, have spoken out against the deal, arguing that it could improve Rwanda’s international image despite concerns about repression at home and its alleged role in the conflict in eastern DRC.

Critics have described such partnerships as “sportswashing.”

Rwanda’s president says he doesn’t know if his country’s troops are in DRC

Hosting a Grand Prix, one of the world’s most prominent sporting events, would take that strategy beyond soccer sponsorships. The race would bring teams, corporate partners, international media and spectators to Rwanda, creating opportunities to promote tourism and attract business. The government hopes it will create jobs, develop local skills and deliver lasting economic benefits.

Itamar Dubinsky, a senior lecturer in African studies and politics at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel who researches sports and politics in Africa, told CNN that hosting a race differs from paying for visibility through soccer club sponsorships. It would bring the sport’s international network directly into the country.

Jean Bizimana/Reuters

The race is planned for a new circuit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Kigali, as part of a wider development project led by the Rwanda Development Board. The circuit must be completed before the race can take place, and F1 has not announced an inaugural date. Its public announcement does not specify how the project will be financed or what returns it is expected to generate.

Questions remain about the cost, potential public investment and how the venue will be used outside race weekends.

Rwanda wants to be seen as a country that attracts tourists and investors and can host major international events. But that image contrasts with criticism of the government’s human rights record. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented restrictions on political opposition, independent media and dissent under Kagame. In a report this month, the organization warned that the Grand Prix could put journalists and vulnerable communities at risk.

Lewis Mudge, HRW’s Central Africa director, said F1 had yet to explain how it would assess the agreement’s human rights implications.

“The F1 talks only about the social and economic impact of this deal but, to date, we’ve seen no language with regard to what effect this could have on the human rights outlook in Rwanda,” he told CNN.

Mudge said Rwanda had barred three HRW staff members from entering the country because of their work. He also cited the organization’s documentation of authorities detaining homeless people and street vendors ahead of major events. Before an international conference in Kigali in 2021, some of the city’s poorest residents were detained in a warehouse described as a transit center until foreign visitors had left, according to HRW.

The organization has urged Formula One to assess human rights risks, consult civil society and establish measurable protections for journalists covering the event. F1 has not publicly confirmed that it will adopt those recommendations.

F1 defended its decision to hold the race in Rwanda, telling CNN it had a “long track record of delivering significant economic, social and cultural value to our host nations.” A spokesperson said the race could inspire the sport’s more than 100 million fans across Africa and that F1 believed sport could be “a positive force for good.”

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F1 also referred CNN to comments by Domenicali, its president and CEO, who highlighted the potential for tourism, investment, skills development and business growth. The organization said it had spent years searching for the right partner for its return to Africa and that several parties had expressed interest.

However, F1’s announcement does not explain how potential hosts were assessed or how human rights concerns factored into Rwanda’s selection. CNN asked follow-up questions about its human rights safeguards and due diligence but has not received a response.

Kate Hixon, Africa advocacy director for Amnesty International USA, said Formula One should investigate whether money it receives from Rwanda could be linked to minerals procured from abusive operations in eastern DRC.

Amnesty has reported abuses against miners in areas taken over by M23 and alleged that gold and coltan are smuggled into Rwanda . Hixon urged F1 to publish its due diligence findings.

“Racing fans deserve assurances that money generated from the M23’s abuses is not funding the Grand Prix,” she told CNN.

CNN contacted the Rwanda Development Board and the Rwandan government spokesperson for comment but has not received a response.

United Nations experts have documented Rwandan military support for M23 rebels, which have seized territory in eastern DRC. Rwanda disputes allegations about its involvement. The conflict has displaced communities and caused widespread civilian suffering.

Arlette Bashizi/Reuters/File

US accuses Rwanda of fueling war as fighting in eastern DR Congo intensifies despite Trump-brokered peace deal

A human rights observer in the DRC, known as Healing and Rebuilding our Communities (HROC RDC), described Rwanda’s international image as mixed, with recognition for development and infrastructure alongside allegations of involvement in the conflict. It told CNN that the contrast with civilian suffering in eastern DRC had fueled frustration and called for civilian protection, transparency and accountability.

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That frustration was also reflected in criticism from DRC Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, who called F1’s decision to hold a Grand Prix in Rwanda “morally indefensible” and said it “would help polish the image of an authoritarian leader.”

Jacques Issongo, from the Congolese civil society movement LUCHA, said Rwanda’s sporting partnerships were intended to divert attention from the conflict.

“By multiplying major partnerships with global sporting giants such as F1, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, Rwanda is creating a media and diplomatic diversion,” he told CNN.

Africa’s last Formula One World Championship race was held in South Africa in 1993. South Africa hosted 23 championship races, while Morocco held one in 1958. The 1985 South African Grand Prix took place during apartheid, and French teams Renault and Ligier did not attend amid opposition to the country’s racial policies.

Formula One did not return to South Africa in 1986, as international protest over apartheid hardened. It returned in 1992 and 1993 as the apartheid regime was dismantled, but financial problems then ended the South African Grand Prix again. Since then, the high cost of hosting a Grand Prix, infrastructure requirements, and competition for a place on the calendar have blocked an African return.

Paul-Henri Cahier/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Rwanda now hopes to overcome those barriers, but hosting the race is only part of the challenge.

Formula One may bring visibility, tourism and international prestige, but Dubinsky, the African Studies researcher, says the question is what remains after the cameras leave. If Rwanda builds an expensive circuit that sees limited use, he warned, it could become a “white elephant.”

The race’s success, he said, will depend on whether it delivers lasting economic and social benefits and whether those benefits outweigh the negative attention that the deal may bring.

For Mudge, the bigger concern is whether Rwanda’s pursuit of international recognition will overshadow the country’s human rights record and undermine efforts to improve it.

“Rwanda is run by a government that is very protective of its global image no matter the cost,” he said.

让·巴蒂斯特·恩库伦齐扎/法新社/盖蒂图片社

一级方程式赛车将在三十多年后重返非洲，卢旺达获得了一份为期 10 年的合同，从 2030 年代初开始举办大奖赛——一级方程式赛车首席执行官斯特凡诺·多梅尼卡利将这项协议描述为一个“里程碑式”的时刻。

对卢旺达总统保罗·卡加梅而言，此次选举提供了一个契机，可以吸引更多游客和投资前往这个东非国家，并提升其国际知名度。卡加梅已执政数十年，其政府长期以来因对待政治对手、记者和其他批评人士的方式而饱受诟病。

这场赛事将被命名为“一级方程式非洲大奖赛”，由卢旺达旅游推广机构“Visit Rwanda”主办。尽管多梅尼卡利表示F1“向世界展示了一个有远见的国家应该是什么样子”，但卢旺达利用体育进行国际宣传的做法却招致了人权组织的批评。与此同时，卢旺达被指控支持邻国刚果民主共和国（刚果（金））的M23反叛武装，这也引发了人们对其希望塑造的形象的质疑。

卢旺达多年来一直致力于通过体育运动提升其国际形象。其“访问卢旺达”推广活动已与包括阿森纳、巴黎圣日耳曼、马德里竞技和拜仁慕尼黑在内的多家欧洲知名足球俱乐部建立了合作关系，但具体合作方式各不相同。阿森纳与卢旺达的八年合作关系将于2026年6月结束，而巴黎圣日耳曼的协议则持续到2028年。拜仁慕尼黑在因合作受到批评后，将合作重点转向了在卢旺达首都基加利开展的青少年足球发展项目。

今年7月，英超球队阿斯顿维拉与“访问卢旺达”组织签署了一份多年赞助协议，据报道每年价值约2000万英镑（约合2680万美元）。包括英国国际特赦组织在内的人权活动人士公开反对这项协议，他们认为，尽管卢旺达国内存在镇压行为，且据称在刚果（金）东部冲突中扮演了重要角色，但这项协议仍可能改善卢旺达的国际形象。

批评人士将此类合作关系描述为“体育洗白”。

卢旺达总统表示，他不知道该国军队是否驻扎在刚果民主共和国。

举办一级方程式大奖赛——这项全球最负盛名的体育赛事之一——将使卢旺达的经济发展战略超越足球赞助的范畴。比赛将吸引车队、企业合作伙伴、国际媒体和观众来到卢旺达，从而创造促进旅游业发展和吸引商业投资的机遇。卢旺达政府希望此举能够创造就业机会，提升当地技能，并带来持久的经济效益。

以色列内盖夫本-古里安大学非洲研究与政治学高级讲师伊塔马尔·杜宾斯基（Itamar Dubinsky）专门研究非洲的体育与政治问题。他告诉CNN，举办比赛与通过足球俱乐部赞助来提升知名度截然不同。举办比赛能将这项运动的国际影响力直接带入该国。

Jean Bizimana/路透社

这项赛事计划在布格塞拉新建的赛道举行，该赛道位于基加利以南约40公里（25英里）处，是卢旺达发展委员会牵头的一项大型发展项目的一部分。赛道必须在比赛举办前完工，F1尚未公布首届比赛的日期。其公开声明也没有具体说明该项目的融资方式或预期收益。

关于成本、潜在的公共投资以及比赛周末之外的场地用途等问题仍然存在。

卢旺达希望被视为一个能够吸引游客和投资者，并举办大型国际活动的国家。但这种形象与外界对其政府人权记录的批评形成鲜明对比。人权观察组织（HRW）记录了卡加梅统治时期对政治反对派、独立媒体和异议人士的限制。该组织在本月发布的一份报告中警告说，F1大奖赛可能会使记者和弱势群体面临风险。

人权观察组织中非地区主任刘易斯·穆奇表示，F1尚未解释将如何评估该协议对人权的影响。

“F1 只谈论这项交易的社会和经济影响，但迄今为止，我们还没有看到任何关于这项交易可能对卢旺达人权状况产生何种影响的表述，”他告诉 CNN。

穆奇表示，卢旺达以人权观察组织三名工作人员的工作为由，禁止他们入境。他还援引该组织的文件，指出当局在重大活动前拘留无家可归者和街头小贩。人权观察组织称，在2021年基加利举行国际会议前，该市一些最贫困的居民被拘留在一个被称为中转中心的仓库里，直到外国访客离开。

该组织敦促一级方程式赛车评估人权风险，咨询民间社会意见，并为报道赛事的记者制定可衡量的保护措施。一级方程式赛车尚未公开确认是否会采纳这些建议。

F1为其在卢旺达举办比赛的决定辩护，并告诉CNN，F1“长期以来一直为主办国带来显著的经济、社会和文化价值”。一位发言人表示，这场比赛可以激励这项运动在非洲超过1亿的粉丝，F1相信体育运动可以成为“一股向善的积极力量”。

J. Countess/Getty Images

F1还向CNN提及了其总裁兼首席执行官多梅尼卡利的评论，他强调了非洲在旅游、投资、技能发展和商业增长方面的潜力。该组织表示，多年来一直在寻找合适的合作伙伴以重返非洲，并且已有多个方面表达了兴趣。

然而，F1的声明并未解释如何评估潜在主办国，也没有说明人权问题是如何纳入卢旺达最终获选考量的因素。CNN就其人权保障措施和尽职调查提出了后续问题，但尚未收到回复。

国际特赦组织美国分会非洲倡导主任凯特·希克森表示，一级方程式赛车应该调查其从卢旺达收到的资金是否与从刚果民主共和国东部滥用权力的矿产开采中获取的矿产有关。

国际特赦组织报告称，在M23占领的地区存在虐待矿工的行为，并指控黄金和钽铌矿被走私到卢旺达。希克森敦促F1公布其尽职调查结果。

她告诉 CNN：“赛车迷们理应得到保证，M23 违规行为所获得的资金不会用于资助大奖赛。”

CNN已联系卢旺达发展委员会和卢旺达政府发言人征求意见，但尚未收到回复。

联合国专家记录了卢旺达军方对M23反叛武装的支持，该武装已占领刚果民主共和国东部地区。卢旺达否认参与冲突的指控。这场冲突导致大量民众流离失所，并造成平民广泛苦难。

Arlette Bashizi/路透社/档案照片

尽管特朗普斡旋达成了和平协议，但刚果（金）东部的战事仍在加剧，美国指责卢旺达煽动战争。

一家名为“治愈和重建我们的社区”（HROC RDC）的人权观察组织在刚果民主共和国开展工作。该组织表示，卢旺达的国际形象褒贬不一，一方面因其发展和基础设施建设而受到认可，另一方面又被指控卷入冲突。该组织告诉CNN，卢旺达东部平民的苦难与卢旺达的国际形象形成鲜明对比，加剧了人们的不满，并呼吁加强对平民的保护、提高透明度和问责制。

若斯平·姆维沙/法新社/盖蒂图片社

刚果民主共和国外交部长特蕾丝·卡伊奎姆巴·瓦格纳也表达了同样的沮丧之情，她称F1决定在卢旺达举办大奖赛“在道德上站不住脚”，并表示这“将有助于美化一位独裁领导人的形象”。

刚果民间社会运动 LUCHA 的雅克·伊松戈表示，卢旺达的体育合作旨在转移人们对冲突的注意力。

“通过与F1、阿森纳和巴黎圣日耳曼等全球体育巨头建立多个重要合作伙伴关系，卢旺达正在转移媒体和外交注意力，”他告诉CNN。

非洲最后一次举办一级方程式世界锦标赛是在1993年的南非。南非共举办过23场锦标赛，而摩洛哥在1958年举办过一场。1985年的南非大奖赛正值种族隔离时期，法国雷诺车队和利吉尔车队因反对该国的种族政策而没有参赛。

1986年，由于国际社会对种族隔离制度的抗议愈演愈烈，一级方程式赛车未能重返南非。1992年和1993年，随着种族隔离制度的瓦解，一级方程式赛车重返南非，但随后的财政问题再次导致南非大奖赛停办。此后，举办大奖赛的高昂成本、基础设施建设要求以及与其他赛事争夺赛历席位等因素，一直阻碍着南非重返一级方程式赛车。

保罗-亨利·卡希尔/赫尔顿档案馆/盖蒂图片社

卢旺达现在希望克服这些障碍，但举办比赛只是挑战的一部分。

一级方程式赛车或许能带来关注度、旅游业和国际声望，但非洲研究学者杜宾斯基表示，问题在于镜头离开后，这里还能剩下什么。他警告说，如果卢旺达建造了一条耗资巨大的赛道，但利用率却很低，那么它很可能沦为“华而不实的摆设”。

他表示，这项赛事能否成功，将取决于它能否带来持久的经济和社会效益，以及这些效益是否能抵消该协议可能带来的负面影响。

对穆奇来说，更大的担忧是卢旺达追求国际承认是否会掩盖该国的人权记录，并破坏改善人权状况的努力。

他说：“卢旺达政府非常注重维护其国际形象，不惜一切代价。”