France, March 20 -- Boroto is in residence at the French Institute in Kinshasa, where he will receive his prize on Friday. He said he was surprised and moved to win the award after entering just two weeks before the deadline.

The 24-year-old, from Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was selected from five finalists for his first novel, Le nom de ma mere (My Mother's Name).

This is the first time a writer from the Democratic Republic of Congo has won the prize, after previous winners from Cote d'Ivoire, Congo-Brazzaville and Cameroon.

The award was created by JC Lattes publishing house, in partnership with RFI and the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris in Paris.

The eight-member jury was led by Senegalese writer Moh...