Equal Earth map projection designers will provide technical expertise to Togo and the African Union, AU, as they work to implement the “Correct the Map” resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on September 4, 2026.
Tom Patterson, Bernhard Jenny and Bojan Šavrič agreed to contribute to the initiative during a virtual meeting convened by Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey on September 20. Their contribution will include producing reference maps, providing support to governments and institutions, and preparing educational resources for African school systems.
The resolution, introduced by Togo on behalf of the African Group, received 164 votes in favor at the United Nations. It notably encourages the use of equal-area projections when the accurate representation of relative land area is important.
Expanding the Use of Equal Earth Across Africa
The initiative builds on an effort already backed by the AU. In February 2026, the continental organization adopted the Equal Earth projection to represent Africa’s size more accurately relative to other continents and encouraged member states to incorporate it into school curricula.
The Equal Earth projection, published in 2018, preserves the relative size of land areas. It has been incorporated into mapping tools used by NASA and Esri, a major developer of mapping and spatial-analysis software.
Togo now plans to submit a concept note to establish a scientific advisory group to support implementation of the resolution. The three Equal Earth designers have been invited to serve on the group in their personal capacities.
R.E.D