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Poverty Eradication: The UN today marked the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with calls to tackle not only the material aspects of the issue, but also its social and educational dimensions and the unequal access to justice.

Somalia: Special Representative for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, briefed the SC this morning, noting that Somalia is now in the process of forming the first post-transition Government and that the new administration in Mogadishu must move with speed to stabilize the newly-liberated areas.

Middle East: Jeffrey Feltman, the USG for DPA, briefed the SC on the Middle East this morning, expressing that the conflict in Syria, now entering its 20th month, has reached “new and appalling heights of brutality and violence.”

EU: After the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize today, the SG extended his sincere congratulations to the body on behalf of the entire UN family.

International Day of the Girl: Today, the UN marked the first International Day of the Girl Child by calling for an end to child marriage, and stressing education as one of the best strategies for protecting girls against this harmful practice.

Syria: Today, the SG issued a statement “strongly condemning” the terrorist attacks in Damascus that occurred on Monday, reiterating that no cause can justify terrorist attacks, wherever, whenever and by whomever they are committed.

SG on Syria: The SG is in France this week for the World Forum for Democracy and to meet with French officials. During his keynote address at the World Forum, as well as in meetings yesterday and today with French President Françoise Hollande, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the SG expressed his concerns over the situation in Syria, as well as rising tensions over the Syria-Turkey border.

SC on Syria: The SC condemned “in the strongest terms” this morning the terrorist attacks which took place on Wednesday in Aleppo, causing over 48 deaths and leaving more than a hundred civilians injured.

Sudan: The SC held closed consultations on Sudan and Mali today. On the situation in Sudan, the US issued a statement urging both Sudan and South Sudan “to implement the oil agreement as swiftly as possible,” also expressing their condolences to the Nigerian government for their peacekeepers killed in the UNAMID attacks yesterday.