Organisation Profile
Issue No. 4 - February/March 2002
Council for International Trade and Commerce South Australia (CITCSA)
In December 2000, for the first time, the Council for International Trade and Commerce SA (CITCSA) surveyed its member groups to quantify their international trade during the past 18 months. The conservative estimate reported to the Minister for Industry and Trade was an impressive $253 million of international trade generated by CITCSA’s members—and their members.
A vital contribution, and as South Australians increasingly appreciate how important export is to our prosperity, our improving export results give CITCSA growing responsibility along with kudos.
“CITCSA is uniquely South Australian. It has no national counterpart and to our best knowledge, no global model,” says General Manager Trish Semple. “The state government’s sustained funding, in three—year cycles since 1994, best reflects CITCSA’s value to the SA economy.”
CITCSA Chairman Nicholas Begakis AM said the stated mission is to develop global markets for SA goods and services and bring economic stimulus—jobs—to the state. CITCSA achieves this by working with and through its 40 member bodies, the state’s international business chambers and councils.
These groups, who maintain strong networks in their countries of origin and the trading blocs beyond, are actively entrepreneurial in developing global markets, hosting international business matching missions and inbound delegations.
CITCSA has an extensive networking program, including its high—profile Chairman’s Luncheon Program, with influential guests, and monthly functions, frequently in partnership with Austrade, Business SA, International SA, Department of Foreign Affairs and private enterprise. In August last year CITCSA carved a new niche with its luncheon debate on the global value of South Australia’s multicultural business community, as part of UniSA’s International Business Week 2001. “Our event this year will be even more prominent” says Trish.
CITCSA also has a hand i...
