The United Nations Security Council during the presidency of Jordan, held a large number of public meetings and had behind the scenes informal consultations to discuss the items of its meetings' agenda. The meetings addressed topics on Africa, Middle East (including the Palestinian file), the Syrian crisis, Iraq and the Yemeni case. The council also discussed during Jordan's presidency the international peace and security (terrorism and war) as well as preventive diplomacy for central Asia. HRH Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid briefed the Member States and the international media about the Council's work for the past month. The Council adopted a number of resolutions during the month on terrorism and ransom, backing the UN office in the Central African Republic by allowing the EU deployment of troops there, extending the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and renewing sanctions on Congo for another year. The Council also issued presidential statements welcoming the mediation of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in South Sudan, condemning the terrorism in Iraq and welcoming the election of an interim president in the Central African Republic, denouncing at the same time the crimes there. The Council also condemned the bombings in Beirut, demanded the deployment of UN peacekeeping force in Mali and convicted the government and opposition in South Sudan for obstructing the work of the UN Mission there. More than 50 countries participated in the debate on "War, its lessons and the search for a permanent peace", proposed by Jordan to discuss the understanding of war and the requirements of a permanent peace.