The Bank of Spain transforms its International Cooperation Committee into the International Cooperation Institute (ICIBE), a new body chaired by Deputy Governor Soledad Núñez.
The Bank of Spain has taken a step forward in its international projection strategy with the creation of the International Cooperation Institute (ICIBE), an entity that replaces the previous International Cooperation Committee and will be chaired by Deputy Governor Soledad Núñez.
According to the institution in a statement, the ICIBE is established with the mission of planning, coordinating, and evaluating all international cooperation actions carried out by the different areas of the bank. The reform responds to the recommendations of an independent external evaluation conducted in 2024 regarding the agency's cooperation activities.
“An internal circular has been approved that creates the ICIBE and reformulates the functions of the International Cooperation Committee, which acquires a more strategic dimension, and which is chaired by the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Spain,” the bank detailed.
International cooperation is considered by the Bank of Spain as a key activity to enhance its capacity for influence and its reputation abroad. With this new framework, the entity seeks to strengthen its role in multilateral and bilateral forums with central banks, supervisory authorities, and monetary and financial organizations worldwide.
The ICIBE plans to promote multilateral technical training activities in collaboration with other organizations, as well as bilateral relations at the request of countries or institutions. Conferences with key regions and stays for representatives of other central banks at the Bank of Spain's facilities in Madrid will also be organized.
Two already scheduled events reflect this orientation: the I LatAm Economic Forum, held last May, and the X Conference of Mediterranean Central Banks, which will take place next October. Both forums are designed to strengthen ties with strategic regions for the Spanish economy.
The creation of the ICIBE represents a shift in focus: from the previous committee, which was more operational, to a structure with greater strategic weight, capable of centrally coordinating the bank's international cooperation. For entities and professionals in the financial sector, this reorganization implies a greater presence of the Bank of Spain in defining standards and best practices at a global level.
Deputy Governor Soledad Núñez, who already chaired the previous committee, now assumes the presidency of the new institute, ensuring continuity in leadership. The Bank of Spain has not yet detailed the complete schedule of planned activities for 2026, but the celebration of the Mediterranean conference in October will be one of the milestones of the year.
For Spanish companies and entities with interests in foreign markets, the work of the ICIBE can translate into better access to information and networks of contacts with regulators from other countries. Technical cooperation and staff training are tools that facilitate the harmonization of financial practices and the resolution of common problems.
With this initiative, the Bank of Spain aligns itself with trends from other European central banks that have strengthened their international cooperation areas in recent years. The focus on training and institutional dialogue aims to consolidate the entity as a benchmark in the global financial community.
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