France abandons the Mercator projection in diplomatic use and backs Africa’s “Correct the Map” initiative
Translated from French and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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Official statement
Approved/passed
- France co-sponsored the African Group’s “Correct the Map” resolution at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 4, 2026.
- The initiative promotes a more equitable representation of the world’s regions, with particular emphasis on Africa.
- France’s support marks a move away from using the Mercator projection in its diplomatic practices.
France has abandoned the Mercator projection in its diplomatic uses and backed the African initiative “Correct the Map.”
On Sept. 4, 2026, France co-sponsored the resolution put forward by the African Group at the United Nations General Assembly and voted in favour of the text.
The initiative seeks to promote a more equitable cartographic representation of the different regions of the world, particularly Africa.
About this summary
Originally published by La Presse in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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