UN to vote on resolution replacing Mercator map with Africa‑accurate version

The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on Friday on a resolution that would formally phase out the traditional Mercator projection in favor of a map that more accurately reflects the relative size of Africa. The proposal, sponsored by Togo’s foreign affairs minister Robert Dussey, seeks to replace the long‑used depiction that makes the continent appear comparable in size to Greenland, a distortion widely criticized for misrepresenting African geography.

The resolution enjoys backing from the African Union’s member states, with Dussey indicating that the 54 nations of the AU support the initiative, though he did not disclose the exact total of endorsing countries. If adopted, the measure would encourage the use of alternative cartographic standards in educational, governmental and international contexts, aiming to promote a more realistic visual understanding of the world’s continents.