The creation of a new U.S. military command for Africa signals the continent’s growing strategic importance and its many development challenges.

President Obama is generally supportive of the UN mission while raising questions about its effectiveness, but GOP candidate Mitt Romney is harshly critical of the organization.

The presidential candidates generally agree on support for democracy and human rights in Arab states, but have differed on several policy particulars, such as military intervention in Libya and Syria.

From his exile in Syria, Khaled Meshal, the top ranked member of Hamas, exercises leadership and serves as the group’s diplomatic envoy.