ONE MORE DONOR PROVIDES BUDGET SUPPORT TO THE WATER AND SANITATION PROGRAMME

Accordingly, DFID will provide an additional 17 million pounds to a joint financing 125 million USD currently provided by AusAID,Danida and the Netherlands. The programme has already helped provide access to clean water for 79% of the rural population, and 51% of rural households now have hygienic latrines. The initial focus has also been on providing access to water and sanitation for public entities, with 75% of schools, 77% health clinics, 67% commune committee offices and 45% markets, now served.

“The programme has made significant progress and brought important changes to the lives of poor people in rural areas. We highly appreciate the support from international donors, who have provided not only funding but also technical assistance and valuable recommendations to help run the programme more efficiently. I’m very glad to see that its success has attracted the attention from other international donors to decide co-funding this programme.” - said Vice Minister of Planning and Investment, Mr Nguyen Bich Dat.

However, despite encouraging achievements, recent statistics show that less than two per cent of the poorest in Vietnam have a toilet and only one in six people in rural areas wash their hands with soap. Many schools and clinics still do not have toilets at all.

At the signing ceremony, Mr. Peter L. Hansen, Ambassador of Denmark stressed again the two most critical issues of the programme, namely rural sanitation and the Operation and Maintenance of water and sanitation schemes. ”We expect that together with funding from AusAID, Denmark and the Netherlands, the additional funding from the UK will be used wisely and effectively to help Vietnam achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target 7, not only quantitatively but also qualitatively”.

This joint donor programme will help support the Government of Vietnam to achieve the targets of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation National Target Programme and to ensure that momentum in provision of rural water and sanitation is maintained beyond 2010 when the current phase is due to end.