Togo: Togo's Fight Against Centuries-Old Map Revives Debate Over African Representation

A plan by Togo to ask the United Nations General Assembly in September to move away from the Mercator world map has revived a broader debate over how different projections can shape perceptions of Africa.

The proposal was approved by the African Union in April after leaders raised the issue during the bloc's February summit, backing a campaign to replace the long dominant Mercator projection with one that more accurately reflects the true size of the world's continents - especially Africa.

Faya Ndiaye, co-founder and deputy executive director of advocacy organisation Speak Up Africa, argues that distorting the true size of countries on maps can quietly shape how people view who matters in the world.