Rwanda will by the year 2012 have reduced by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, State Minister Dr. Albert Butare said.

The target which is under the UN Millennium Development Goal 7 of ensuring environmental sustainability, is meant to be achieved by 2015.

The target under MDG 7 is to halve the percentage of people without access to safe water.

Currently, the country’s population with access to safe drinking water is estimated to be at 73 percent and government expects to increase the percentage figure by more than 80 percent by 2012. Only about 45 percent Rwandans have access to hygienic sanitation facilities.

Butare said that the MDG, water and sanitation is in the priorities in the five year plan of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy to be attained by 2012.

In water supply and sanitation, EDPRS plans to raise rural water supply coverage to 85 percent by 2012, while in sanitation coverage for rural household shall increase from 38 percent to 65 percent by 2012.

It’s said that, the proportion of schools with latrines complying with health norms shall rise from 10 to 80 percent.

Butare said this during the signing of a grant agreement worth $25m, a second phase of the National Program of Water Supply and Sanitation in Rural (PNEAR).

The grant provided by African Development Bank (ADB) and will be spent in rural communities providing water and sanitation services was signed last Friday at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) premises.

The grant will ensure the sustainable access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation which is in line with the MDGs and Vision 2020 through the EDPRS.

"As you know (PNEAR), has been identified in order to contribute to the achievement of MDGs and to the achievement of the vision 2020 objectives,” Finance Minister James Musoni said.

Butare noted that big achievements that have been registered in different districts across the country.

He cited Rwamagana district as an example which has already registered 85 percent.

Butare hailed different development partners like Japanese, Belgium cooperation and ADB who have contributed to the county’s efforts to achieve of 100 percent coverage by 2020.

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