February 9, 2023
PHNOM PENH – The Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) has signed an agreement with Japanese-run Ajinomoto on February 6, making them official sponsors of the biennial multi-sports event and a “premium partner”.
CAMSOC secretary-general Vath Chamroeun said Ajinomoto is one of the largest Japanese firms that always supported the SEA Games as well as the Olympic Games.
Chamroeun was optimistic that the sponsorship by Ajinomoto would be an important driving factor for other major Japanese companies to also choose to officially support the event.
“Ajinomoto always support major events, and the company is especially interested in Cambodia because many Cambodians use its products,” he said.
“This signing will make it more attractive for Japanese companies who want to support our SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. We would also like to appeal to other big companies and we hope that other firms will also cooperate and support this event,” he said.
According to the agreement, as a major sponsor, Ajinomoto will provide funding for the events to ease the burden of the expenditures for them by the Cambodian government. In exchange, Ajinomoto advertising will be featured on displays and materials related to the games.
“We have to work hard to find more sponsorships. Big sporting competitions need the sponsorship of big companies, which shows the solidarity of the private sector with the event and adds value to it,” he said.
Ichiro Sakakura, vice-president of Ajinomoto and also general manager of its ASEAN division in charge of business operations, expressed his happiness to be supporting the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia.
“Ajinomoto is very proud to be an official sponsor for this year as we want to be a part of bringing a successful SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games to Cambodia. We have made it our speciality to become an official partner for the past three SEA Games in 2017, 2019 and 2021 and we were also the official partner of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as well,” he said.
Four major companies have signed agreement to be the sponsor of the 2023 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games, including ABA Bank with an exclusive deal for the finance and banking sector and AIA Life Insurance with an exclusive deal for the insurance sector. FBT’s sponsorship involves providing tens of thousands of items of branded items of clothing while Ajinomoto will provide cash, though the specific amount was not confirmed.
“Currently we have four major companies as sponsors and there are many other big companies such as makers of juice and wine and other service companies that are under negotiation on the conditions and procedures for mutual benefit. This is a well-known and popular event,” said Chamroeun.
“Apart from the support of companies, there are other ways to mobilise revenue by calling on philanthropists to donate to help our Cambodian athletes with as little as $1 or $2 or as much as $1,000 or $2,000 – or any amount – through Pathmazing, which is doing a “$1 million” campaign for our Cambodian national team, who need support and encouragement for training hard to win medals for our nation,” he said.