Donors have committed to continue helping Vietnam fulfil its targets in phase III of the national programme on clean water and rual environmental hygiene from 2011-2015.

According to donor reports, after 10 years of implementing the national target programme, Vietnam obtained remarkable progress in access to safe water in rural areas and smooth operation of water projects.

Thanks to the programme, 83 percent of the population have access to clean and hygienic water. However the target on environmental hygiene was still low in comparison with the request, with almost 60 percent of the population in the rural area having access to standard toilets.

In the third phase, 95 percent of the population in rural area will get access to hygienic water. About 75 percent of rural households will have standard toilets, and 65 percent of farmer households engaged in husbandry will have hygienic breeding facilities.

Kindergartens, primary schools, communal health stations, markets and communal headquarters in rural areas will get access to clean water, standard toilets and good management.

To meet the targets, donors said they will focus their support on environmental sustainability by strengthening work relating to planning and financial strategy to develop a medium-term framework.

The donors include the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID)./.