The United Nations has recently warned that progress towards universal access to clean water and sanitation is far slower than required, with 2.1 billion people still lacking safe drinking water and two in every five people worldwide without access to safe sanitation services.

Viet Nam, as a partner country, is ready to join BRICS members and the international community to contribute to the realisation of sustainable development goals, and addressing common global challenges, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Phu Hang told the ministry’s regular press briefing on June 19.