PHNOM PENH: Until 2023, a total of 50,266 kilometres or 74 percent of the rural roads have been built, 637,237 pumping wells have been dug along with 10,546 community ponds, 58,559 raining basins, 140 clean water supply stations, said Minister of Rural Development in his report at the closing ceremony of the ministry's annual meeting held here this afternoon.

On the rural sanitation programme, H.E. Chhay Rithisen, Minister of Rural Development, pointed out that there have been more than 2,58 million family toilets and 10,322 public toilets across the country.

All these achievements have increased the coverage of rural water and sanitation to about 85 percent in 7,397 villages, 654 communes and 59 districts, he added.

H.E. Minister said the provinces of Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Kandal Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Kep and Phnom Penh capital had already obtained the open defecation free status.

Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, who presided over the event, expressed his congratulations to the above-said achievements.

These achievements have contributed to the national connectivity for economic potential and the enhancement of the people's social welfare, he said.

“The achievements attained by the Ministry of Rural Development have brought rural and urban areas closer together,” the Premier underlined.

Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also voiced his support to the Ministry of Rural Development to continue constructing more rural roads, upgrading the rural social welfare and rural economy.