US officials have confirmed reports that they are preparing an aid package for Afghanistan worth about $1bn. The funds are reported to be for reconstruction projects, such as building roads and schools, police training and the development of the army. Foreign governments promised Afghanistan aid worth some $4.5bn at a donors conference in Germany in December, 2001. But correspondents say that not much of that money has been channelled into reconstruction work. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the figure of $1bn in a recent Washington Post report was \"more or less right\". \"We\'ve provided a lot of support to Afghanistan, we\'re looking at programmes that can help accelerate the delivery of benefits from that support and expand the support that we give to Afghanistan to try to build on our successes there,\" Mr Boucher told journalists on Monday. According to the Washington Post, the US is hoping the money will be spent on projects that can be completed before elections scheduled in Afghanistan in October 2004. Last month, Afghan President Hamid Karzai renewed a plea for an additional $15-20bn for reconstruction in Afghanistan. He said the money was necessary to help the country build its economy and begin generating its own revenues, as well as to fight the threat posed by former Taleban members. (BBC)