Mr Pham Khanh Toan said that, The Program in small towns of Vietnam has been implemented for more than 15 years, up to now, 22 small towns of Vietnam with 39,000 households and 150,000 people have been provided with stable clean water sources, quality assurance. The Government of Finland has also supported to the MoC and relevant Vietnam agencies to complete the system of policies, strengthen management capacity, develop human resources, and transfer technology in water supply and sanitation.
As a unit assigned by the MoC to implement the Program, in recent years, the Department of Technical Infrastructure has actively coordinated with relevant units and localities to implement quickly and promptly Program’s contents. At the ceremony, Director Mai Thi Lien Huong thanked the Finnish Government, the Embassy of Finland and Ambassador Kari Kahiluoto for their interest in supporting and creating favorable conditions for the MoC and other localities to implement and complete the Program.
Director Mai Thi Lien Huong also expressed her wish that, the Government of Finland would continue to pay attention and assist Vietnam in implementing programs and projects related to water supply and environmental sanitation at the local. At the moment, many towns in Vietnam still face significant difficulties and challenges related to clean water supply and environmental sanitation.
Ambassador Kari Kahiluoto affirmed that: “The Water and Sanitation Program in small towns in Vietnam is one of the most successful international cooperation projects of the Government of Finland in the field of water supply and sanitation.”
Ambassador Kari Kahiluoto believed that the signing ceremony of handling over water and sanitation Program in small towns in Vietnam would be a good basis for the Government and the Embassy of Finland to further promote the cooperation programs in the field of water supply and sanitation with Vietnam, contribute to promoting economic development, improving the quality of life of the Vietnamese people.
Written by: Tran Dinh Ha
Translated by: Mai Anh