The Centre for International Economy (CEI, for its acronym in Spanish) is the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship’s think tank in charge of conducting research on international economics and trade. The CEI delivers statistical and econometric analyses as along with economic and trade reports on bilateral, regional, sub-regional and multilateral issues of relevance to the interests of this country.
In order to support the economic and trade negotiations carried out by the Argentine Republic, the Centre for International Economy also conducts studies to analyse and track trends in the global economy and international trade, as well as their financial, investment, production and sector aspects.
The CEI also monitors Argentina’s main macroeconomic variables, prepares reports on the economic performance of third countries –particularly Argentina’s main trading partners– and maintains an updated and disaggregated database of economic and trade data and indicators of global importance.
The Centre has been designed as a sphere encompassing technical knowledge in economy and expertise in diplomacy with the aim of providing decision-makers with tools for the analysis of Argentina’s foreign trade policy. Within this framework, it carries out analysis of the current situation and follow-up of past experiences in order to assess the results or progress of the different public policies.
Created in 1987 as a project within the framework of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and structured under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, in 2012, the CEI became a National Directorate under the Secretariat of International Economic Relations of the aforementioned Ministry.
The CEI main activities are divided into three main axes:
a. Research and publications
b. Technical support
c. Teaching and training
A. RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS
Since its creation to the present date, the CEI has made more than 500 publications which are available from the Centre’s Library and, the most recent ones, from its website.
The “Research and publications” axis has three specific areas of development
- Identification and analysis of the most attractive markets for our country, and preparation of specific studies –by country or by sector– of the trade prospects for the Republic. Review of trade agreements and of their potential for the country.
- Follow-up, compilation and publication of statistical series on issues related to foreign trade and Argentina’s economy. Analysis and summary of economic and trade indicators, aimed at providing a comprehensive and periodic overview of the progress of the country’s economy and, in particular, of the trade flows of goods and services.
- Review of specific topics of interest at a global level and periodical publication of the main news on the international economic situation at present.
Likewise, the CEI has promoted and coordinated, together with other areas of the Ministry, the development of IT tools aimed at providing decision-makers, foreign representations and exporting companies with accurate and reliable information on bilateral trade relations, as well as on the existence of trade barriers.
B. TECHNICAL SUPPORT
As a research centre specialised in economy and trade, the CEI has put its experience in economic, econometric and statistical aspects at the service of trade negotiations, as well as collaborating in multiple projects of the Ministry in areas related to cultural, cooperation and environmental matters, among others. All this has the aim of providing input and research for multidisciplinary working groups.
In this context, it reviews trade agreements, gravity and impact studies and it provides inputs for trade negotiations. Special software and databases are used for this purpose.
C. TEACHING AND TRAINING
Regarding training, CEI researchers have participated as lecturers in courses offered by the Foreign Service Institute of the Nation (ISEN, for its acronym in Spanish) to train future diplomats in their area of expertise.
The CEI also collaborates in the development of training materials and seminars on international trade and economics for officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in other exchange and cooperation activities with representatives of the academic world and public institutions.
Likewise, diplomats from the CEI sit on the evaluation tribunals of theses on economic issues prepared by members of the Foreign Service as a requirement for promotion in the diplomatic career.
The CEI is part of the National Statistical System and is in constant connection with the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC, for its acronym in Spanish) and the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA, for its acronym in Spanish). It is also a member of the Argentine Public Socioeconomic Research Network (Red ISPA, for its acronym in Spanish) and has the capacity to propose to the Ministry’s authorities the signing of inter-institutional cooperation agreements with national and international academic counterparts.
The institutional linkage area of the CEI has four main lines of work that aim at strengthening the capacities of the Centre as well as cooperating with provincial, national and international centres and organisations in its areas of specialisation.
The current lines of work are as follows:
a. Institutional links with National Government Agencies
b. Institutional links with provinces
c. Links with universities and the national scientific system.
d. Links with counterpart centres in other countries.
The Centre for International Economy comprises a team of active diplomatic officials and graduate and postgraduate professionals in fields of economics and international trade, as along with specialists in translation and editing.
National Director (in charge):
Ambassador Pablo Grinspun
(former authorities)
Administrative staff
Aldana Carelli
Carolina Coll
Researchers and members of the Foreign Service
Mariano Aranguren
Sebastián Báez
Pablo Bertín
Hernán Cejas
Carlos D’ Elía
Verónica Fossati
Carlos Galperín
Florencia Iborra
Sonia León
Gabriel Rosa
Mariel Ruffet
Ana Zamorano
Translation and design team
Mariángeles Attademo
Marisa Laura Sanguinetti