EU Commission to announce lower Afghan aid figure

BRUSSELS, Jan 26 (Reuters) The European Union's executive Commission will today announce aid of about 600 million euros for Afghanistan over the next four years, less than the amount for 2002-2006.

A day earlier, the United States said the Bush administration would ask Congress for 10.6 billion dollar in new funding for Afghanistan. US officials will ask NATO allies at a meeting in Brussels to also raise their aid investment.

Commission spokesman Emma Udwin said the EU cash would go towards governance reform, health and rural development and would be on top of substantial bilateral aid provided by EU states.

She said the Commission gave 1 billion euros to Afghanistan in 2002-2006 but noted the figure was exceptional in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001.

''This remains our biggest programme in Asia it's a lot of money,'' she said, adding the amount could be marginally increased.

REUTERS SSC PM1505