French prize goes to Togo

Togolese writer Sami Tchak has won this year's "Grand Prix" for African literature, a French prize with a purse of 10,000 euros. Tchak was awarded the prize for the range of his work, according to Pana, the African news agency.

"This prize is an honour, a recognition of my work. It is a challenge at the same time. I will have to work so as not to disappoint those who have honoured me with this award," he told Pana. He is in working on his next novel at the moment.

Tchak's works, only available in French, include the novels Hermina (2003), La Fête des Masques (2004) and Place des Fêtes (2002). His publisher is Paris-based Edições Gallimard.

The prize was awarded in the middle of November 2004. 

Also in 2004, Albert Memmi, whose study of the psychology of colonialism The Coloniser and the Colonised (click to read an extract) is one of Africa's 100 Best Books, was awarded the Grand Prix de la Francophonie (World Francophone Prize) by the French Academy. The prize, established in 1986, is awarded each year to a writer whose work contributes to the excellence of Francophone literature in their country and the world. The 2003 prize was awarded to Edouard Maunick, of Mauritius, who spent many years in South Africa as a diplomat for his country.