The Regional Office for Africa and the Arab States (ROAAS) supports Africa and the Arab States region in implementing the Habitat Agenda, emphasizing its two main themes: "Adequate shelter for all" and "Sustainable urban development". Its mission is to promote the Habitat Agenda at the regional level through the implementation of the two Global Campaigns on Secure Tenure and Urban Governance. The office contributes to the strengthening of the normative capacity of UN-HABITAT and promotes its visibility at the regional level.

ROAAS provides country and city partners with policy options, technical expertise, information management and supports their project implementation efforts. In all the regional and country programmes, the social, cultural and gender aspects are carefully considered. The office responds to local demand and helps to build knowledge in the field of human settlements and sustainable urbanization through the exchange of experience and best practices.

The regional office's approach is to develop institutional capacity in Africa and the Arab States through advocacy, fostering and expanding partnership, institutional development, training and application of norms advocated by the organization through operational activities. Through these activities, sustainable urban development and management using updated sustainable methodologies is advanced at country level.

In addition to providing substantive technical support at regional, national and local levels, ROAAS assists in mobilizing financial resources for operational projects in order to upscale and multiply the impacts achieved in demonstration projects.