( CNN ) -- The deadly church and mosque attacks in Nigeria and Kenya , and the deaths of Ghanaian and Ethiopian leaders dominated sub-Saharan Africa headlines in 2012 . But lost in the midst were a series of positive stories . For every conflict , there was a milestone . For every violence , there was reconciliation . For every setback , progress . Here are the top 5 positive stories out of the continent , as chosen by those who call it home : . The rise of African women . This year saw three African women take on key leadership roles . Malawi appointed a female president , Joyce Banda , as Liberia re-elected Ellen Johnson Sirleaf . Since taking over the task of stabilizing a shaky economy , Banda has earned plaudits for financial reforms , including selling the presidential jet , downsizing the government 's car fleet and cutting her own salary . In another milestone , South Africa 's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was inaugurated as the chief of the African Union . The former minister took the reins of a male-dominated organization facing funding woes and challenged it to reduce its reliance on aid . Her election could ease tensions between the body and the International Criminal Court , which also picked an African woman as its top prosecutor . Critics have accused the court of focusing on African nations and overlooking opportunities to investigate abuses in other countries . Gambian lawyer Fatou Bensouda took over as the court 's top prosecutor , a move welcomed by critics as a major step in healing relations between the two organizations . The three were the first women to assume their respective positions . Growing economies , middle class . Africa is home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world . And the thriving , burgeoning middle class is one indication of that . The number of middle-class Africans tripled over the past three decades to 313 million , or about 34 % of the continent 's population , the African Development Bank says in its latest report . The figure is a marked improvement from previous years . Middle-class earners are described as people spending between $ 2 and $ 20 a day , a threshold criticized by some analysts as too low . The report says that the overall number of people defined as middle class includes a `` floating class '' -- those with expenditure levels of $ 2 to $ 4 per day , a group considered at risk of sliding back to poverty levels . Though the report also warns of the growing number of income inequality , it also notes that the middle class is crucial in anchoring African economies . `` It 's a call to say 'look , please invest in Africa , there are good returns , ' `` says Mthuli Ncube , chief economist and vice president of the African Development Bank . Analysts have warned that the current boom in a middle class is not generating much employment . New Somali government . Though progress is fragile at best , Somalia got its first central government in about two decades . Parliament members picked a political newcomer as president , who then named another political novice as prime minister . Somalia also adopted a provisional constitution and selected parliament members -- all in recent months . The new leadership marks a milestone for the nation , which plunged into chaos after dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown 21 years ago . Clan warlords and militants battled for control after his ouster , sparking a civil war and mayhem . In another recent achievement , Somali and African Union troops forced out Al-Shabaab militants from Mogadishu , sending residents frolicking to the beach as life in the capital trickled back to normalcy . Once out of the capital , the militants retreated to the port city of Kismayo , a strategic location for their lucrative coal shipments . Coalition forces forced them out of that city as well . It was the last major town under militant control . Ghana elections . Ghana lived up to its `` mature democracy '' reputation again this year , a political feat that has eluded most nations in Africa . Long hailed as a beacon of democracy and progress in the continent , the nation re-elected the incumbent , who beat his closest contender with a razor-thin margin . Despite the narrowness of the victory , no violence erupted , unlike elections in nations such as the Ivory Coast , where both the incumbent and the winner clung to power after the results of the 2010 poll . A series of other African nations have also descended into violence after elections , making Ghana a noteworthy exception . While there was some bickering from the losing sides , the nation maintained peace for the most part . President John Mahama served as vice president under his predecessor , who died this year . In another move highlighting the solidity of its democracy , Ghana immediately swore in Mahama to avoid a power vacuum . Zambia 's emotional win . Zambia won its first African Cup of Nations -- nearly two decades after a plane crash killed its team , coaches and crew members . The win was sentimental because it occurred in Gabon , the same country where the tragic crash happened in 1993 . And it was a major triumph because the team was not favored to win against the star-studded Ivory Coast . In the end , Zambia hoisted the Cup of Nations after beating Ivory Coast 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shootout . Throngs of supporters danced and wept at the airport when the team arrived home . Did we leave any out ? Let us know in the comment section below .
This year saw three African women take on key leadership roles . The number of middle-class Africans is rising . Somalia formed a government in 2012 , and Ghana 's presidential election was peaceful . Zambia won its first African Cup of Nations , nearly two decades after a tragic plane crash .