The appeal comes as M23 rebels captured Goma, the largest city in eastern DR Congo, while the United Nations’ refugee agency estimates more than 400,000 people have been forced from their homes this year.

A group of UN experts maintains the Rwandan army is in “de facto control of M23 operations”.

DR Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner has written to the owners of Arsenal and PSG and to Bayern president Herbert Hainer to “question the morality” of the deals.

She highlighted how Visit Rwanda’s sponsorship could be funded by the illicit mining of blood minerals in the occupied parts of DR Congo, before being transported across the border and exported from Rwanda.

In her letter to Arsenal, Kayikwamba Wagner stated that Rwanda’s “culpability” for the ongoing conflict “has become incontrovertible” after the UN reported that 4,000 Rwandan troops are active in the DRC.

“It is time Arsenal ended its blood-stained sponsorship deals with this oppressor nation. If not for your own consciences, then the clubs should do it for the victims of Rwandan aggression,” she wrote.

Arsenal, PSG, Bayern Munich and Visit Rwanda have been contacted for comment.

The Visit Rwanda campaign has successfully raised the east African country’s profile but Rwanda’s government has been accused of investing in sport to enhance its global image – a strategy labelled by critics as ‘sportswashing’.

A sleeve partnership with Arsenal began in 2018, with the latest sponsorship reported to be worth more than £10m ($12.39 million) per year.

A sponsorship with PSG was agreed the following year, and Bayern Munich signed a five-year football development and tourism promotion partnership with Rwanda in 2023.

Meanwhile, Rwanda President Paul Kagame has announced a bid to stage a Formula 1 race and Kigali is set to be the venue for cycling’s World Road Championships in September.

On Friday the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, said there were no plans to relocate the event away from Rwanda.

The Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch, a campaign group which investigates and reports on cases of abuse around the globe, says these deals and events help hide Rwanda’s “abysmal track record” on human rights.

“Rwanda has major flaws with due process which violate its own internal laws or international standards,” HRW’s Lewis Mudge told BBC Sport Africa last month.

“Increasingly we’re seeing the space for freedom of expression, for some degree of political autonomy, is actually shrinking.”

The Rwandan government has dismissed accusations of sportswashing, with its chief tourism officer Irene Murerwa calling them “a distraction” from the “amazing and outstanding achievements the country has made”.

The UN says at least 700 people have been killed in intense fighting in Goma since Sunday.

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said 2,800 people have been injured, as M23 rebels – backed by Rwanda – captured the capital of North Kivu province.

The rebels are now reported to be moving south towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.

The conflict in eastern DR Congo dates back to the 1990s but has rapidly escalated in recent weeks.

M23, which is made up of ethnic Tutsis, say they are fighting for minority rights, while DR Congo’s government says the Rwanda-backed rebels are seeking control of the eastern region’s vast mineral wealth.

Authorities in Kigali have denied direct military involvement in the conflict, insisting its troops are only stationed along the border to protect its territory and civilians.

The Gunners, who knew only a victory would suffice with Liverpool opening a commanding lead at the top of the table after winning at Bournemouth, responded by overpowering the fading champions in emphatic fashion.

Arsenal have played a game more than Liverpool, but this impressive victory at least means they remain within touching distance of Arne Slot’s pace-setters.

City, as they had done against Chelsea eight days previously, gifted their opponents an early lead, this time inside two minutes when defender Manuel Akanji lost possession, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard then steering in Kai Havertz’s pass.

Arsenal were wondering whether they would regret Havertz’s dreadful first-half miss when Erling Haaland headed City level after 55 minutes, but their lead was restored within two minutes when Thomas Partey’s shot was deflected wide of keeper Stefan Ortega off John Stones.

And the points were made safe after 62 minutes as 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly fired home his first goal for Arsenal, Ortega getting a hand to his powerful shot but failing to keep it out.

As City crumbled once more in this season of turmoil, Havertz made up for his earlier miss by steering a precise left-foot finish into the far corner past Ortega with 14 minutes left.

It got even better for Arsenal as 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, picked out superbly by Declan Rice, bent a fabulous shot into the far corner.

Arsenal are playing the role of hunters rather than hunted in this Premier League title race as they try to keep pace with Liverpool’s relentless form at the top.

If there such a thing as a “must-win” game in early February, this was arguably it as Arsenal knew they could not afford to drop points.

Defeat would have left Arsenal nine points behind Liverpool having playing a game more. When they needed someone to step up, it was teenager Lewis-Skelly who settled any lingering nerves.

Having excelled with some powerful surges from defence in the first half, he allowed Arsenal to establish a two-goal cushion with his goal.

Erling Haaland demanded to know “who are you?” when he clashed with the youngster at the end of a fractious 2-2 draw at Etihad Stadium in September, when Lewis-Skelly was booked while warming up before coming on as a late substitute.

If Haaland did not know who Lewis-Skelly was then, the Norwegian marksman certainly knows now.

The manner and margin of Arsenal’s win will surely fuel their self-belief as they try to chase down Liverpool.

And the second-half goal rush allowed Havertz to feel both relief and elation after a first-half miss, shooting wide with the goal at his mercy, that started to feel like a defining moment when Haaland levelled matters.

Instead, Emirates Stadium was a scene of raucous celebration at the final whistle as Arsenal’s title bid received a real turbo charge.

Manchester City’s alarming habit of crumbling was on show again. Just as against Paris St-Germain in the Champions League last month, four second-half goals were conceded in an extraordinary collapse.

This was a side who won an historic fourth successive Premier League title last season. Has an elite team’s form ever fallen off a cliff to such an extent?

City had brief hope when Haaland equalised, but their demise was embarrassing once Arsenal quickly restored their lead, manager Pep Guardiola looking nonplussed and powerless in his technical area.

The injury to Rodri in the first meeting between these two clubs in September, which ruled the world-class midfielder out for the season, is understandably cited as a pivotal moment in the season – but it does not explain the sheer scale of City’s capitulation both at home and in European competition.

City were shambolic in the closing half-hour, Arsenal threatening to score every time they went forward, the final whistle a merciful release from the beating being inflicted on them.

They face holders Real Madrid in the Champions League play-offs for place in the last 16. On this evidence, Kylian Mbappe and company will be licking their lips in anticipation.