Three donors - Denmark, the UK and Australia - signed a joint agreement yesterday, committing US$93 million to support Viet Nam’s National Target Programme for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Phase 3 in the next four years.
The programme, approved by the Vietnamese Government in 1998, has made contributions to the implementation of the National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy during 2000-20 and towards the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals in this field.
So far, it has provided access to clean water for 75 per cent of the rural population, with 51 per cent of rural households having hygienic latrines.
In phase 3, the country targets to raise the percentage to 85 per cent and 65 per cent respectively. Moreover, most rural schools, kindergartens, and health clinics will have hygienic water and hygienic latrines.
The further support demonstrated the donors’ strong determination and long term commitment to improve the livelihoods of rural poor in the country through provision of clean water and sanitation services, said AusAID’s Mekong and Regional Minister-Counsellor Michael Wilson.
In the last phase, the three donors plus the Netherlands funded $142 million to support the programme.
