Iva Cabral was born in 1953 as Iva Maria Ataíde Vilhena Cabral. She is a historian and the Rector of the University of Mindelo. She is the editor of A primeira elite colonial Atlântica (2015). She is the co-editor (with C. Furtado, B. Barry, P. Sané, Y. Guillaud) of Les États-nations face à l’intégration régionale en Afrique de l’Ouest. Le cas du Cap-Vert, 2010 and has authored many publications in national and international outlets. Cabral was the Director of the Archives of Cape Verde’s National Assembly and participated in the production of the General History of Cape Verde. Cabral is a member of the Board of Directors of the West Africa Institute (WAI) and of many other institutions.