Foreign Nations Pledge $93M for Vietnam Rural Clean Water Program by 2015

The U.K., Australian and Danish governments will finance a total of $93 million for Vietnam to implement the national target program on rural clean water and environmental hygiene in the 2012-2015 period. Representatives of the three governments Jan 12 signed a joint financing agreement with the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to further support the third phase of the program. Speaking at the signing ceremony, MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat highlighted the program’s initial positive results in the first two phases by saying that rural people’s living conditions and health were considerably improved. He, however, noted that there remain difficulties that need to be dealt with in the third phase, including improving the quality of water supply and sanitation; and supplying tap water to people in disadvantaged areas. The funding for the third phase is expected to support Vietnam in fulfilling the set target, he said, adding that the country pledges to use the capital effectively. Michael Wilson, Minister-Councilor of the Australian Agency for International Development (Ausaid) recognized the program’s initial achievements, urging the country to make further efforts to reach the target in the third phase. Under the program by 2015, the country aims to raise the rate of rural people using tap water to 85% and the rate of rural households having hygienic latrines will be 65% by the year-end. As many as 45% of rural families are also expected to have hygienic breeding facilities while many schools and clinics will use hygienic latrines by the next five years.  It is estimated that Vietnam now has more than 20,000 citizens died of water-borne diseases per year, half of the death toll is blamed for diarrhea, experts said. (Thoi Bao Kinh Te – Economic Times Jan 13 p2, Kinh Te Vietnam & The Gioi – Vietnam & World Economy Jan 13 p6, vov.vn Jan 12)