UN General Assembly supports equal-area maps — Deutsche Welle
In New York, United States, the UN General Assembly supported the Correct the Map resolution, which encourages the use of cartographic projections that more realistically reflect the sizes of continents. The document was backed by 164 UN member states, while the United States was the only country to vote against it.
The resolution recommends using the Equal Earth projection and other equal-area maps instead of the Mercator projection, created in the 16th century. The Correct the Map campaign at the UN was promoted by Togo and is also supported by the African Union, Deutsche Welle reports.
Cartography and the decolonization of knowledge
Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey called the voting results a source of pride. According to him, Africa seeks to reclaim its rightful place in the community of nations, as prevailing perceptions of the continent do not correspond to its historical, geographical and economic reality.
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French historian Romain Tiquet of the Institute of African Worlds noted that cartography is part of a broader discussion about the decolonization of knowledge. Such a discussion, he said, encompasses universities, museums, cultural institutions, social movements and civil society.
Changes in schools and countering stereotypes
In October 2025, the authorities of Mali decided to remove the history of France from the curriculum, including teaching about the French Revolution, and focus on the history of Mali and ancient West African kingdoms. Historian Philemon Mtoi of Tumaini Makumira University in Tanzania called this an important step for strengthening patriotism and national identity. At the same time, he stressed that knowledge about important events in world history should not be erased and can be studied at a later stage of education.
The nonprofit organization Africa No Filter, which was among the organizations that supported Correct the Map, is running the #NotWaiting campaign. It aims to counter the stereotypical portrayal of Africa as a poor, corrupt continent beset by crises. The organization’s report states that due to biased media coverage, Africa may lose up to $4.2 billion annually through inflated interest payments.
