CIDOB was born in 1973 as a non-profit-making association of socio-cultural nature based on the personal experience of its founder, Josep Ribera i Pinyol, one of the promoters of the Catalan inter-diocesan movement Agermanament (Brothering), which was active in cooperation projects with countries in Africa and South America.
Josep Ribera continued to head CIDOB until December 2008, when he chose to step down after 35 years at the helm.