The UN General Assembly has voted to replace the traditional world map with one that more accurately reflects the size of Africa. The "Correct the Map" resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union (AU) members, passed with the support of 164 nations, including France and the UK. The US was the only nation to vote against it, while there were six abstentions.
The Mercator map, which has been in common use since the 16th Century, has come in for criticism as it shows Africa as being of similar size to Greenland, even though it is actually 14 times larger. The new map aims to correct this distortion and provide a more accurate representation of the continent. The AU's 54 member States unanimously adopted the new map in February, stating that it "more accurately represents the sizes of all continents, particularly Africa".
The online campaign group "Correct The Map" noted that the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe could fit into Africa and still have land to spare. This highlights the significant impact of the distorted Mercator map on the global perception of Africa's size and importance. The new map is expected to change the way institutions around the world represent the continent.
The UN vote is non-binding, but it is expected to have a significant impact on the way the world is represented. The resolution was proposed by Togo and endorsed by the African Union before winning overwhelming support at the UN. Analysts say the significance of the resolution reaches well beyond cartography, representing a rare display of the continent speaking with one voice.
Africa has long suffered from prejudice on the cartographical representation, as well as on the global power sharing table. The African continent has 54 votes out of 193 countries that make up the UN General Assembly, giving it 28 per cent of the total votes. However, the continent does not have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, one of the key decision organs in matters of international security.
In 2005, the African Union adopted what it called "the Ezulwini Consensus", which demands at least two permanent seats with veto powers and five non-permanent seats for Africa in the UN Security Council. However, this has yet to come to fruition, likely due to divided voices on the issue, particularly regarding who those representatives would be. Regional block leaders like Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa all want to feature as the two representatives.
The new world map and the UN resolution are seen as a measure of Africa's growing ability to place its own concerns on the international agenda. The initiative is a significant step towards correcting historic inequality and giving Africa a stronger voice in global decision-making. The resolution's impact will be closely watched in the coming months and years.
Key points
- The UN General Assembly has voted to adopt a new world map that more accurately reflects the size of Africa.
- The new map aims to correct the distortions of the Mercator map, which has been in use since the 16th Century.
- The resolution is seen as a significant step towards giving Africa a stronger voice in global decision-making.
