NAIROBI, Aug 5 - The World Bank has approved a $60 million credit to assist emergency drought recovery in Kenya's arid areas after consecutive seasons of poor rains have affected more than three million people.

"By extending this credit, we are addressing urgent needs arising from the recent drought emergency," Colin Bruce, World Bank country director for Kenya, said in a statement obtained by Reuters late on Friday.

The bank said the project aimed to broaden support for the affected communities while "reinforcing community oversight and local decision making structures."

Failed rains in late 2005 and early this year in several east African countries left 11 million people facing food shortages. Tens of thousands of livestock and several hundred people died from hunger and thirst.

The bank said $20 million would reimburse the Kenyan government for audited amounts it had spent on non-food emergency drought response.

The additional $40 million would support longer-term investments, such as new and improved water supplies and natural resource management activities, the bank added.