The Convention on Biological Diversity is a Convention under the UN system, one of the three RÃo Conventions, which aims its work to preserve biodiversity and ensure its sustainable use.
The CBD is governed by the Conference of the Parties (member Countries), who have the power to make decisions under this UN body.
However, there are many other, non-state, actors involved and interested in the work of the CBD, especially so indigenous peoples, local communities and civil society organizations.
The presence of those organizations in the CBD process is paramount, as they ensure transparency, and have inputs from many different knowledge fields, including -very importantly- a relationship with the people on the ground in the different countries (or in several cases, it is people from the ground themselves participating). Having people with such a relationship to the ground provides the possibility to inform parties and decision makers of the impact of their decisions at the local level, as well as informing local people on the decisions taken in the CBD.
It is the CBD Alliance that brings together civil society organizations to enable a better internal communication, and a coordinated work with parties and CBD bodies. Parallel there is also the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), which brings together Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in the CBD process. There is a close relationship between the two organizations.
The relationship between the CBD Alliance and the secretariat is longstanding.