Poverty, hunger, infectious disease, conflict — words that readily come to mind when Japanese consider Africa.

But Africa is no longer a continent just of sadness, and the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in May will be a golden opportunity to promote awareness among Japanese about the true state of the continent, Tanzanian Ambassador to Japan Elly Elikunda Elineema Mtango said.

Tanzania currently holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, a regional organization representing 53 member states.