LUSAKA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Donors have confirmed their commitment funds to Zambia's Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) for next year's budget, local newspaper the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

The donors have confirmed that they will provide about 215 million U.S. dollars, which is more than 194 million dollars indicative commitment the donors provided in September this year, according to Daily Mail.

Zambian Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane announced this in Lusaka on Wednesday after a meeting with donors.

"I am pleased to announce that all major outstanding issues have been resolved and the cooperating partners have announced a firm financial commitment of 215 million dollars towards the 2010 national budget," Musokotwane said.

The Zambian minister said the donors' contribution represents a substantial increase from funds committed this year and thanked the partners for their continued support to the southern African country's development efforts.

Musokotwane, however, said despite the progress made so far, there are still some issues of concern that the government will continue to dialogue with donors.

The issues include the implementation of the country's decentralization policy, improved public financial management practices and the country's public service pay reforms, Daily Mail said.

The Zambian Minister said the meeting was a follow-up to another one held in September this year and was aimed at resolving a number of outstanding issues.

And speaking earlier, European Union (EU) Head of Delegation to Zambia Derek Fee who spoke on behalf of the donors, said the budget support backs up the government's overall national development plan and reform agenda with the ultimate aim of reducing poverty in rural and urban areas.

He said budget support is an aid modality that is based on deep mutual trust and depended on donors' confidence in the government's system.

"Therefore, systems improvement is crucial to ensure more efficient and effective use of public resources, be they domestic or external, aimed at pro-poor service delivery and development of the whole country," Fee was quoted as saying.