At the Mayors’ own initiative, the Andean Cities Network (RAC) was created on September 8, 2003, in Quito “as a valid instrument to provide the mutual support and joint efforts needed to enable Municipalities to administer cities efficiently, improve the people’s living conditions, fight poverty and build local societies that are capable of competing in the globalized world of the twenty-first century” (First whereas clause.  Quito Declaration on the Creation of the Andean Cities Network).  This agreement is open to the accession of new cities. 

In the initial stage, areas of work and the mayors’ offices responsible for them were decided:  Promotion of trade relations and the arrangement of business transactions primarily with SMEs (Bogotá), connectivity between cities and regions (Lima), exchange of experiences and initiatives in municipal administration (La Paz), cultural and artistic cooperation (Quito) and academic and professional exchanges (Caracas).