Togo has taken another step forward on the international diplomatic stage. Its “Correct The Map” initiative, launched on behalf of the African Group, has received overwhelming support from the United Nations General Assembly. The adoption has been welcomed by the African Union and its Chairperson of the Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
It was in New York, on Friday, September 4, 2026, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution introduced by Togo in favor of a fairer cartographic representation of the world. The text received 164 votes in favor, one against, and six abstentions. For the African Union, the result above all demonstrates the ability of African states to speak with one voice and promote a common initiative within the international community.
“The resolution on world mapping proposed by Togo and adopted by the UN is a victory for Togo, not a symbolic victory, because although the Mercator projection had a pragmatic aspect, it had the disadvantage of not representing Africa in relation to its actual size and its place in the world.”
Kerwin MAYIZO, Political Analyst – RD Congo
Beyond the map itself, the issue is also political and diplomatic. The initiative seeks to reshape perceptions of the world, particularly those influenced by the Mercator projection, which visually reduces the size of regions located farther from the equator. With this resolution, the African Union now hopes that international institutions, education systems, publishers, and digital platforms will gradually promote maps that more accurately reflect geographical realities. The initiative also enables the continent to advocate for a representation based on scientific data rather than inherited perceptions.
“Which will rehabilitate Africa in relation to its geopolitical weight, its place or its actual position in the world and its actual size, because a map is not neutral. In a hierarchical world where certain powers use every lever to minimize Africa’s role and place in the world, having the possibility of using a map other than the Mercator projection is a way of rehabilitating Africa for what it is and what it represents on the geostrategic and geopolitical levels.”
Kerwin MAYIZO, Political Analyst – RD Congo
For the African Union, this adoption represents a diplomatic victory for Togo and the African Group. Although the resolution is not legally binding, it could gradually influence how the world is represented in schools, institutions, and digital tools. Beyond the map itself, what is ultimately at stake is Africa’s place and image in the world.
