International Organizations

How to find international trade organizations relevant to your business
By Lesley Graybeal If you or your business deals with international trade in any capacity, government trade associations and other international groups that work as international trade promoters may have substantial information to offer you. While membership in many government associations is by country only, most publish documents and offer services to individuals from both member and nonmember states.

Aside from government organizations, many other non-governmental groups and private international groups are useful networks and resources for international trade. International organizations without a government affiliation may offer a different spin on international trade, but also share several similarities with government trade associations.

When researching international organizations, do the following:

1. Get publications and documents from international banks and lending groups.

2. Check out intergovernmental groups for cooperative organization efforts.

3. Look for trade groups that serve your specific industry at an international level.

Use international organizations for lending to get financial information

Aside from private banks that provide international lending, several international organizations exist for lending money for development efforts. These organizations work with donations from government organizations of member countries to lend to less developed governments and may use their role to dictate political or economic outcomes or act as an international trade promoter.
Try:  The World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the two largest international organizations for lending, both publish extensive lists of documents online. Most resources are available to the public, including financial lending data and other political and economic research.

Investigate intergovernmental organizations for cooperative efforts between government associations

Often, international trade organizations may consist of collaborative efforts by a number of national government agencies. These organizations may publish research data, but also additionally adopt guidelines and principles for international trade organizations.
Try:  Use the Agency for International Trade Information and Cooperation and the Federation for International Trade Associations to find out about intergovernmental efforts to facilitate trade between nations. Like other international trade organizations, these intergovernmental bodies publish material available to both the public and to their members.

Consult federal trade associations for help collaborating with international organizations

If you want to become involved in international organizations as a business owner, a good way to network with international groups is through international trade associations. These groups may operate on a federal or industry specific level.
Try:  Use the Washington International Trade Association if you'd like to join a federal group for international trade. IMEX Exchange has an extensive list of international organizations, allowing you to find a trade association for a specific country or region where you want to do business.

• Determine your reasons for getting involved with international organizations before you join one as a business owner. Some groups make advocacy and causes a priority rather than import and export, so you'll want to have clearly defined goals for networking before you search.