El Center for International Strategies of Governments and Organizations (CIG) from the Universidad Austral) presented his International Capabilities Index (ICI) at the Santa Fe Business Forum 2025, held on Thursday, September 4th in the city of Santa Fe. The meeting, organized in conjunction with the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), It brought together provincial leaders to discuss how to measure and strengthen the international integration of Argentine provinces.
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The ICI: a pioneering tool
The International Capabilities Index (ICI) was created by the CIG with support from the OEI to fill a gap: while there are indicators of competitiveness or sustainability, there was no comprehensive tool that measured the capacity for internationalization at the subnational level.
The ICI analyzes four dimensions and more than 40 indicators :
After being tested in Ibero-American cities such as Barcelona , Madrid , Buenos Aires, and São Paulo , in 2025 it was adapted for the first time for application in Argentine provinces, with results in Santa Fe, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, and Jujuy . This work made it possible to identify specific strengths and challenges in each territory, providing subnational governments with a comparative diagnosis and a strategic roadmap.
The panel
The panel was moderated by Diego Filmus, Head of National Projects at the OEI, who welcomed everyone, highlighting the alliance with the Universidad AustralHe emphasized that “internationalization is no longer the exclusive domain of nation-states: provinces and cities are key players” and recalled that “what is not measured cannot be managed,” alluding to the importance of the ICI as a methodological tool.
Francisco Resnicoff, Senior Fellow at the CIG , reviewed the index's methodology: identifying internationalizable attributes, evaluating the ecosystem that supports them, and measuring concrete results in trade, cooperation, tourism, and talent attraction. He noted that the ICI is not limited to diagnosis but proposes concrete action plans for each province, and emphasized that during his experience as a public official in Buenos Aires, it would have been "a key tool for transforming information into actionable management."
From a provincial perspective, Georgina Losada, Secretary of Foreign Trade for Santa Fe , presented the province's international strategy, which includes 60 initiatives in 50 countries by 2025, among them the internationalization of the Santa Fe Business program, with its first edition in Shanghai. She highlighted that ports, agribusiness, biotechnology, and software are Santa Fe's distinguishing attributes, and emphasized that the International Competitiveness Index (ICI) metrics are fundamental for designing evidence-based policies.
For his part, Rodrigo Ceballos Bisso, Undersecretary of International Relations for Córdoba , explained that the ICI (International Cooperation Initiative) was key to obtaining an initial diagnosis and guiding priorities in the design of Córdoba's international strategy. He cited Córdoba Day, events held abroad to promote the Córdoba brand, as an example, and highlighted the role of the productive clusters (automotive, biotechnology, audiovisual, knowledge economy) and the university ecosystem as drivers of internationalization.
Finally, Cynthia Cabrol, Director General of International Economic Relations for Entre Ríos , noted that participation in the ICI compelled the province to rethink its international projection. She presented Entre Ríos' strategy, focused on SMEs and export diversification, structured around two pillars: cooperation for productive internationalization and international trade promotion. She also emphasized the importance of the OECD as an international benchmark for standardizing practices and attracting investment.
Strengthen subnational international action
With the implementation of the International Cooperation Index (ICI) in four Argentine provinces in 2025, the Intergovernmental Council (CIG) and the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) took a decisive step in consolidating a framework for subnational international action. This tool not only allows for measuring the degree of internationalization but also provides evidence to guide more effective and sustainable public policies.
