Africa in Focus with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa

The National Briefing · Apr 16, 2026 · 7m

16 April 2026

1.    Togo- United Nations General Assembly

Togo will ask United Nations member states to adopt a world map that more accurately reflects Africa's true size and to ditch the 16th-century Mercator projection, its foreign minister said.

Critics say the Mercator projection, which makes Greenland appear as big as Africa when the continent is about 14 times larger, reinforces perceptions of Africa’s marginality despite its vast size and population, shaping narratives in media, education and policy.

2.    Cameroon- Yaound&eacute…