This week’s Top of the Blogs covers a range of topics from across Africa! We look at a small successful country and an economic crisis in the north; we deal with an author who was regarded as “too African” and the new first Lady of Zimbabwe.

Africa’s little miracle nation turns fifty

africanarguments.org

Mauritius, known for its beautiful s beaches and its blue ocean celebrated its 50th birthday on March 12th this year. And while it was described as a basket case back in the days, it became a peaceful country with regular, free elections and a strong social security net. But the country has to face some serious challenges in the future.

The Mnangagwa’s Unfinished Homework: The Need for a True Public Media

africablogging.org

Since taking over from Mugabe in November, Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa is trying to show the world that he’s different from Mugabe. For example he’s actively using twitter and facebook to make his policy look transparent. But his wife is also quite active interacting with the media. Our author is very skeptical about whether her behavior is really that different to Grace Mugabe’s.

A Ugandan author once dismissed for being “too African” has won a major literary prize

qz.com

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi doesn’t write for a European or American audience, but for Africans and for people who want to explore the continent from an African point of view. But that also made it hard for her to find a publisher. In the end she found one and has now won the literature prize of Yale University.

What is behind the economic crisis in Sudan?

africasacountry.com

In October 2017 US President Donald Trump lifted the sanctions which were implemented in 1997 by the Clinton administration which had accused the country of hosting terrorists. The author of the article traces the economic crisis back to its roots and isn’t very optimistic about the lifting of the sanctions without political reform.