CITIES CAPITAL OF CULTURE:   SHARE, LEARN AND ADVOCATE   TOGETHER Contract related to: CITIES CAPITAL OF CULTURE:   SHARE, LEARN AND ADVOCATE   TOGETHER - The European Commission decided in 2015 to engage at political level with five Global and Regional Associations of  Local  Authorities (ALAs). This  was the  result  of  a  worldwide  structured  dialogue  with  CSOs  and  LAs held in 2010/2011 and the Communication from the Commission (2013) ¿Empowering LAs in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes¿.The commitment translated in the signature for a six years period (2015-2020) of strategic Framework Partnership Agreements  (FPAs)  with: United  Cities  and  Local  Government  (UCLG),  the  International  Association  of Francophone  Mayors  (AIMF),  the  Commonwealth  Local  Government  Forum  (CLGF), United  Cities  and  Local Governments    of    Africa    (UCLG-A),    and    the    Council of    European    Municipalities    and    Regions (CEMR)/PLATFORMA. These  strategic  partnerships that  will  be  renewed in  2021, are accompanied  by  financial commitments from the Commission through five Specific Grant Agreements (SGAs) covering the new programming period 2021-2027. This proposed Action for 2021 will ensure the continuation of the partnerships established through the FPAs for the period 2021-2027 in line with the LAs component of the Multi-Annual Indicative thematic Programme for ¿Global Challenges¿.The overall objective of the Action is to contribute to further improve the enabling environment for Local Authorities by  supporting  the  improvement  of  multi-level  governance  through  partnerships  with  United  Cities  and  Local Governments  of Africa (UCLG-A)and  United  Cities and  Local Governments  (UCLG), in line  with the  European Commission¿s commitment to work  towards  ensuring  a  truly  inclusive  multilateralism,  where  the  voices  of civil society,  the  private  sector,  social  partners  and  local  authorities  count  (Communication on strengthening the EU¿s contribution to rules-based multilateralism).In particular it will aim to increase their transparency, accountability, advocacy capacities and empowermentalso in multilateral  settings.  The  ALAs  will  be  allowed to  play  their  role  and  to  contribute  to  policy-making  on  the development agenda (e.g. Policy Forum for Development) and policy implementation processes in particular in relation to the localisation of the SDGs.This should result in the increased institutional, operational and financial sustainability of ALAs; the strengthening of theircapacities and those of their members; the enhancement of the coordination between ALAs;an increase oftheir  capacities  to  impact  and  contribute  to  regional  and  global  policy-making  processes  on  development  for  the localisation of SDGs. The action will contribute to and develop synergies with Team Europe Initiatives focusing on decentralisation and urban interventions (including sustainable cities) as well as those falling into the realm where local authorities and ALAs have key competences, e.g. water and sanitation, education, health, climate change, environment, migration, and local economic development.