The IACG is an informal coordinating mechanism in which the focal points of all relevant UN agencies, Regional Commissions and regional intergovernmental organizations have a chance to exchange, expertise, experiences, approaches and information on planned activities, and explore collaborative efforts.

The establishment of the IACG stems from General Assembly resolution A/RES/59/311, which "Requests the Secretary-General, through the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat, to articulate a plan with recommendations for action and proposed activities for the coordinated and coherent implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation by the relevant United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, regional commissions and other organizations of the United Nations system within their respective mandates."

The main types of activities currently being pursued through the IACG are:

• Harmonization of the MSI regional plans of operationalization to ensure comprehensive oversight of SIDS priority programmes;
• Coordination of the various activities carried out as part of the MSI five-year review process.
• Promote efficient and coordinated use of resources for project implementation;
• Collaboration for resource mobilization and exploration of viable partnerships with the donor and wider international community;
• Consultation among UN Departments to advance mainstreaming of and promotion of synergies on SIDS issues in the programmes of the UN.

IACG meetings are generally held once every month. New York-based organizations participate in person, whereas offices located abroad participate by teleconference. Consultations have started among members of the IACG on how to best transform and improve the IACG, including the possible formalization similar to other UN coordination mechanisms.

Currently, the following organizations are active members:

• Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
• Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC)
• Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean - Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean (ECLAC/POS)
• Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific - Pacific Operations Cenlie (ESCAP/EPOC)
• FAO - Small Island Developing States
• Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
• Sea Level Rise Foundation
• South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
• United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA)
• Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Counliies, Landlocked Developing Counliies and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS)
• United Nations Conference on liade and Development (UNCTAD - Africa, Least Developed Counliies and Special Programmes)
• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO - SIDS Platform)
• United Nations Indusliial Development Organization (UNIDO)
• United Nations International Sliategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
• World Health Organization (WHO)