The Argentine Network for International Cooperation (RACI) started in April 2004 as a space for information exchange, interaction and dialogue regarding how to optimize the capacities and aptitudes of Civil Society Organizations concerning the International Cooperation. Thanks to the contributions and efforts of the 15 founding organizations, RACI began to grow and develop.

The founding organizations are: Asociación Conciencia (Awareness Association), Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina – AMIA (Mutual Association Israelite Argentina), Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales – CELS (Center for Legal and Social Studies), Centro de Estudios Sobre Nutrición Infantil - CESNI (Center on Child Nutrition Studies), Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento – CIPPEC (Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth), Fundación Cambio Democrático (Democratic Change Foundation), Fundación Compromiso (Commitment Foundation), Fundación Cruzada Patagónica (Patagonian Crusade Foundation), Fundación Desarrollar Argentina (Develop Argentina Foundation), Fundación Huésped (Huesped Foundation), Fundación Poder Ciudadano (Citizen Power Foundation), Fundación SES (SES Foundation -Sustainability, Education, Solidarity), Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina (Argentine Wildlife Foundation), HelpArgentina and MALBA – Fundación Costantini (Museum of Latin-American Art in Buenos Aires - Costantini Foundation).

Why have we formed a network?

Though Argentina possesses certain characteristics that resemble countries that are found to be priority in the agendas of international cooperation (social inequality, environmental contamination, unstable education and health systems), Argentina is increasingly more unlikely to be recipient or beneficiary country of International Cooperation. Facing this challenge are the Argentine Civil Society Organizations that work with the support of the international cooperation, requiring their involvement for the sustainability and financing of the programs that they carry out.

This situation is more evident if one takes into account the large number of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that exist in Argentina. The combination of these two variables –lack of resources and the great number of CSOs- creates a competitive situation, which sometimes, undermines the nature of the organization’s mission and vision.

RACI believes the suitable response to this problem, is the formation of a network composed of various Civil Society Organizations, that in addition to their work in different areas and their objective perspective in identifying problems, they will have an integral approach to the problems of the country. Therefore, RACI considers working as part of a network the key to strengthening the impact of the actions that they carry out daily. 

For this reason, RACI works hard to expand knowledge and communication of the organizations amongst themselves; bolster organizational capacity for fund development and relations development with international agencies, embassies, philanthropic organizations, and others; assess the main problems that affect the country; and promote effective distribution and management of the funds. 

Each member organization contributes, from its own position, to the growth and institutional development of the network, sharing its experiences and good practices with other organizations. 

What do we mean by International Cooperation? 

The Argentine Network for International Cooperation (RACI) understands International Cooperation from an extensive and open sense.  It’s a process that considers private and public international investment to resolve social issues, through the provision of human and/or financial resources and the transfer of technological, administrative, and technical abilities to assure projects that will promote human development. 

This financial and technical support aims to promote the cultural, social, economic, human and policy development of a country. 

The basic principles that govern International Cooperation, and those that RACI adheres to, are equity, international solidarity, mutual interest and the sustainability of the initiatives that will impact and will improve the individual’s quality of life. 

Likewise, it is understood that the sources of International Cooperation can be international public funds or international private funds.  The first group can be channeled through international cooperation agencies, departments of foreign affairs and multilateral agencies (through the contributions of the member countries) or embassies situated in the receiving country.  The second group is composed of private international foundations, multinational corporate donations and significant individual donations that come from the exterior to the receiving country.