El Center for International Strategies of Governments and Organizations (CIG) of the Universidad Austral He participated in the Presentation of the 2025 Economy and Development Report (RED) of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), entitled “Local solutions: the role of local and regional governments in Latin America and the Caribbean".
The meeting brought together national, provincial, and municipal authorities and academic leaders to discuss the role of subnational governments in building a more equitable and sustainable development.
Francisco Resnicoff, Senior Fellow at the CIG, was part of the panel on “International integration and links with the private sector”, together with Delfina Irazusta (Local Innovation Network). In her presentation, she introduced the International Capabilities Index (ICI), a pioneering tool in Latin America developed by the CIG for to measure, compare and strengthen the international projection of local and provincial governments.
“The ICI connects evidence with action. It allows local governments to identify their strengths, better allocate resources, and design more effective internationalization strategies. Ultimately, it transforms international action into a manageable, strategic, and sustainable process,” Resnicoff noted.
The ICI is organized into four dimensions: Global Assets, Local Ecosystem for Internationalization, International Projection, and Global Dividends. It was already applied in eight cities and four Argentine provinces, offering comparative diagnoses and supporting the design of local internationalization strategies.
During his presentation, Resnicoff highlighted the growing prominence of cities and provinces on the global stage and stressed the need for formal strategies to guide their international action.
“In a globalized world, international action is no longer the exclusive domain of nation-states. Cities and regions concentrate a significant portion of the world's GDP and population, and are now key players in attract investment, generate employment, promote innovation and strengthen international cooperation"I affirm.
The event was attended by Sergio Díaz-Granados, Executive President of CAF; Guillermo Francos, Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Nation; and Jorge Macri, Head of Government of the City of Buenos Aires, along with mayors from all over the country and representatives of international organizations, universities and cooperation networks.
The day reaffirmed the importance of Strengthen the institutional capacities and strategic planning of local governments, highlighting that “local solutions” — those built from the territories and in dialogue with the communities — are essential to promote sustainable and inclusive development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
