With support from the African Union, the country is preparing a draft resolution for presentation at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2026. The proposal calls for the adoption of map projections that more accurately represent land areas worldwide.

Adjoussi Pessiezoum, Director of LTAG at the University of Lomé, highlighted the issue, noting that widely used maps create a misleading comparison between Africa and regions like Greenland. “Africa often appears roughly the same size as Greenland, when in reality it is far larger. The Mercator projection enlarges areas near the poles and shrinks those near the equator,” he explained.

Originally developed for navigation, the Mercator projection exaggerates high-latitude regions while minimising equatorial ones—resulting in Africa appearing significantly smaller than its actual size.

Pessiezoum emphasised that alternative projections already exist and could address this imbalance. “Technically, the solution is straightforward. It’s about applying projections that preserve real surface areas,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that replacing the Mercator system would require a major transition, as it is deeply embedded in educational materials, political maps, and global cartographic standards. 

He also noted that no flat map can perfectly represent a spherical Earth, meaning all projections involve some degree of distortion.

Still, he argued that the current representation has broader implications. “The way Africa is depicted leads people to underestimate it. That perception can influence international decision-making,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Tchabore Bouraima, a journalist, expressed strong support for Togo’s initiative, which has reportedly gained the backing of all 55 African countries. He sees this consensus as a sign of its importance.

“This level of agreement shows confidence in the initiative. It’s about correcting a long-standing misrepresentation and ensuring Africa is portrayed accurately,” he added.

Poland is expected to allocate around 4.5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to defence in 2025, the highest share among NATO allies, according to recent estimates compiled by defence analysts and data platforms, including Atlas Institute and reported by Euronews.

The surge reflects a broader shift across the alliance, where governments are under growing pressure to meet or exceed NATO’s benchmark of spending at least 2% of GDP on defence.

Countries on NATO’s eastern flank, closest to Russia , dominate the top of the spending rankings. Lithuania (4.0%), Latvia (3.7%) and Estonia (3.4%) are all projected to significantly exceed the alliance’s 2% target.

What this signals is a strategic recalibration. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, frontline states have moved rapidly to strengthen military readiness, expand troop numbers and modernise equipment.

Euronews reports that defence budgets across Europe have seen sustained increases, with many governments committing to multi-year spending plans focused on air defence systems, artillery and ammunition stockpiles.

The United States , NATO’s largest military power, is expected to spend about 3.2% of GDP on defence in 2025—lower than several Eastern European allies in proportional terms but still far higher in absolute spending.

Northern European countries are also stepping up. Norway (3.3%) and Denmark (3.2%) are among the top contributors, reflecting growing concerns over Arctic security and regional stability.

Meanwhile, major Western European economies such as the United Kingdom and Germany are projected to spend around 2.4% of GDP, signalling progress after years of criticism for underinvestment.

Germany, in particular, has pledged a long-term shift in defence policy following its €100 billion special fund announced after the Ukraine invasion, a move widely covered by Euronews as a turning point in European security policy.

A notable development is that nearly all NATO members reached the 2% GDP benchmark in 2025. Countries including France, Italy, Canada and Spain hit that threshold, marking a significant change from just a few years ago when many allies fell short.