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The African Union (AU) has welcomed the adoption of a United Nations General Assembly resolution promoting more accurate cartographic representations of Africa and other regions of the world.
The resolution, championed by Togo on behalf of the African Group, was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Friday with 164 votes in favour, six abstentions and one vote against from the United States.
It encourages the use of map projections that more accurately represent the relative size of continents, including Africa.
In a statement, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf commended Togo for leading the initiative and praised President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé for helping mobilise international support.
Youssouf also congratulated African Union member states and the African Group in New York for what he described as their “unity and collective mobilisation” in backing the resolution.
“The adoption of this resolution marks an important step forward,” he said.
The initiative intends to address distortions associated with the Mercator projection, a 16th-century map projection originally designed primarily for navigation.
While useful for navigational purposes, the projection makes land areas closer to the poles appear disproportionately larger while reducing the apparent size of regions near the equator.
The effect is particularly pronounced in the representation of Africa.
The continent covers about 30.4 million square kilometres and is roughly 14 times larger than Greenland, although the two can appear similar in size on a Mercator world map.
The UN resolution promotes alternative projections, including the Equal Earth projection, in contexts where accurately comparing land areas matters.
It does not, however, prohibit the continued use of Mercator for navigation.
Youssouf said the issue went beyond cartography, arguing that Africa should be represented according to “objective and scientifically established realities.”
He encouraged international institutions, educational systems, publishers and digital platforms to progressively adopt maps that more accurately reflect the actual size of Africa and other regions.
“The African Union Commission will continue to work with Togo, Member States and relevant partners to support efforts towards the implementation of this initiative,” he said.
The AU had previously endorsed Togo’s “Correct the Map” initiative. In February 2026, the bloc adopted a decision supporting the Equal Earth projection and urging member states to review their school curricula accordingly.
“Africa must be represented as it truly is: in its true dimensions and in its rightful place in the world,” Youssouf concluded.
Communiqué of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on the Adoption of the “Correct The Map” Resolution.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, @ymahmoudali welcomes the adoption today by the United Nations General Assembly of the… pic.twitter.com/5UyQEuUWT5
— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) September 4, 2026
