Togo’s Cartographic Campaign: A Strategic Push for African Representation on the Global Stage
The Report
As reported by Togotimes, Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Robert Dussey, has used an interview with BBC World News to advance the “Correct The Map” campaign. The initiative challenges the widespread use of the Mercator projection, a 16th-century map that disproportionately shrinks Africa’s size relative to landmasses near the poles. Minister Dussey framed the effort as a matter of justice and recognition, stating,
“We must teach the true representation of Africa on the continent as well as in the world.”
The campaign, supported by African Union member states, aims to bring the issue before the United Nations for a formal resolution.
WANA Regional Analysis
While the “Correct The Map” campaign may appear to be a symbolic gesture, its implications for West Africa and the broader continent are far-reaching. From a regional policy perspective, this initiative represents a calculated diplomatic move by Lomé to assert leadership on a pan-African issue that resonates deeply with post-colonial identity politics. By championing cartographic accuracy, Togo positions itself as a moral and intellectual vanguard within the African Union, potentially strengthening its soft power and diplomatic leverage in future negotiations on trade, security, and integration.
The campaign also intersects with the growing global discourse on reparations and historical justice. For ECOWAS member states, many of which are grappling with the legacies of colonial borders and economic extraction, the map debate provides a unifying platform. It reframes a technical cartographic issue as a broader challenge to Eurocentric worldviews that have shaped everything from education curricula to international development priorities. If Togo succeeds in securing a UN resolution, it could catalyze a re-evaluation of how African nations are represented in global institutions, from the Security Council to the World Bank.
From an economic standpoint, the campaign carries subtle but significant implications. A more accurate representation of Africa’s size—roughly 30 million square kilometers, larger than the combined area of the United States, China, India, and Europe—could influence perceptions of the continent’s market potential, resource wealth, and infrastructure needs. For West African economies seeking foreign investment and trade partnerships, correcting the map is not merely academic; it is a tool for reshaping global economic narratives that have historically underestimated the region’s scale and complexity.
Security and governance dimensions also emerge. The campaign reinforces the AU’s Agenda 2063, which emphasizes African agency and self-determination. By challenging a symbol of colonial-era knowledge production, Togo indirectly supports efforts to decolonize security frameworks, such as the G5 Sahel and ECOWAS’s counter-terrorism strategies, which often rely on external partners. A more confident, self-representing Africa may demand greater ownership of its security architecture.
Against this backdrop, the “Correct The Map” initiative is more than a diplomatic curiosity. It is a strategic tool for reasserting African identity, influencing global governance, and reshaping economic narratives. For West Africa, where regional integration remains a work in progress, such symbolic victories can build the political will needed for deeper cooperation on trade, infrastructure, and security.
Regional Backdrop
The Mercator projection, developed by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569, was designed for nautical navigation, preserving angles at the expense of area. Its widespread adoption in classrooms and media has perpetuated a distorted view of the world, where Africa appears roughly the size of Greenland—when in reality, Africa is 14 times larger. This cartographic bias has been criticized for centuries, but only recently has it gained traction as a political issue. Togo’s campaign builds on earlier efforts by other African nations and civil society groups, but its explicit linkage to UN diplomacy and reparations discourse marks a new phase in the struggle for representational justice.
Original Reporting By: Togotimes