The African Union Commission has praised a landmark UN General Assembly decision advocating for a shift toward more accurate global mapping, replacing traditional world maps that understate the true scale of the African continent.

In an official communiqué issued from Addis Ababa on Friday, AUC Chairperson H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf welcomed the adoption of the “Correct the Map” resolution. The motion, spearheaded by the Republic of Togo on behalf of the African Group, calls for replacing the centuries-old Mercator projection with equal-area models like the Equal Earth map projection to ensure fair geographic representation.

Chairperson Youssouf commended Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé for leading the diplomatic push, alongside AU member states and African diplomats in New York whose collective backing secured broad international endorsement.

The resolution aims to phase out the 16th-century Mercator map—originally designed for maritime navigation—which severely distorts landmasses relative to the equator, artificially shrinking Africa while enlarging northern continents.

Beyond mapmaking, the AU leadership emphasized that accurate cartography is crucial for reflecting scientific realities and restoring cultural and geographic equity. Chairperson Youssouf urged global institutions, textbook publishers, digital media platforms, and education systems to adopt realistic map models that accurately depict the actual proportions of world regions.

The AU Commission confirmed it will collaborate with Togo and international partners to drive practical adoption of the resolution, reiterating that Africa must finally be depicted in its true dimensions and rightful global standing.