Founded in 2005 in replacement of the Secretariat of Ibero-American Cooperation,[2] its main task is to assume the technical, institutional and administrative management and coordination of the Summits.

The creation of the SEGIB was approved in 2003, during the 13th Ibero-American Summit in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), with the first Secretary-General appointed later in 2005.

[1] The main headquarters are located in Madrid (Spain), while it also has three smaller offices in Mexico City (Mexico), Lima (Peru) and Montevideo (Uruguay).

[3] Spain assumes the majority of the financing, contributing around 60% of the budget.

[4] Enrique V. Iglesias (2005–2014)[5] and Rebeca Grynspan (2014–2021)[6] are the two officials who have served as Secretary-General of the SEGIB.