Whisky "vital for emergencies," WFP honchos quip

WFP food distribution in Sudan

ROME -- A secure supply of whisky, single malt or Jack Daniels, is vital for WFP workers dealing with emergencies around the globe, top executives at the UN agency jest.

"No emergency has ever run without a few bottles of single malt, so I always pick one up on my way," WFP's veteran Asia Regional Director, John Aylieff, a Briton, tells the Rome-based agency's in house staff magasine Pipeline, "presuming I'm not deployed to a country where alcohol is banned."

Mr Aylieff's colleague, Kenro Oshidari, concurs on the need for a drop of the hard stuff in the field, even in a country such as Sudan where being found with booze in your suitcase could cost a few strokes of the lash under Sharia law.

"In Sudan, I kept a bag handy for unexpected overnights," he tells Pipeline. "I threw out the things WFP originally supplied like a blanket, first aid kit, compass and water purifier -- and instead packed two pairs of underwear, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a carton of cigarettes and peanuts."

In addition to such fuel, Mr Aylieff adds that "my child recently found something new for me to pack: toys for hungry children."

Dr Sergio Arena, an Italian, for his part evidently eschews firewater on the job. Asked by Pipeline, in a light-hearted article entitled "What's in your carry-on," the doctor replied: "WFP's multi-pcket vest and the 'baby wipes,' normally used when changing diapers, but covering a range of situations from meals to toilets."

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Oshidari in Sudan
Aylieff in Bangladesh