Africa's true size could come at a cost, warns researcher

<span>Africa's true size could come at a cost, warns researcher</span> <span><span>bombeleni_temp</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-09-09T10:50:00+02:00" title="Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - 10:50">Wed, 09/09/2026 - 10:50</time> </span>

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</div> </div> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_36 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="https://www.enca.com/opinion-videos/africas-true-size-could-come-cost-warns-researcher" data-a2a-title="Africa's true size could come at a cost, warns researcher"><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.enca.com%2Fopinion-videos%2Fafricas-true-size-could-come-cost-warns-researcher&title=Africa%27s%20true%20size%20could%20come%20at%20a%20cost%2C%20warns%20researcher"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a></span>

<div class="text-long"><p>JOHANNESBURG - Africa’s problems have never been a result of its size, says researcher Thembisa Fakude.</p><p>“Its size is a new discussion that is supposed to keep us busy,” he says.</p><p>“In my view, the size comes with new responsibilities,” he adds.</p><p>The United Nations General Assembly has voted to encourage countries to replace the centuries-old Mercator projection with the Equal Earth map, which more accurately reflects the relative size of the world’s continents.</p><blockquote><p><strong>READ: </strong><a href="https://www.enca.com/lifestyle-top-stories-videos/world-map-africas-size-matters-un-says"><span><strong>World map: Africa's size matters, UN says</strong></span></a></p></blockquote><p>The resolution was backed by 164 countries, while the United States voted against it and six countries abstained.</p><p>The Mercator projection was created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 and was designed primarily for maritime navigation.</p><p>While it accurately represented the shapes and angles needed by sailors, it distorted the relative size of land masses, particularly those closer to the poles.</p><p>As a result, Europe and North America appear much larger than they are relative to Africa and South America</p></div>

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<div class="text-long"><p>Fakude says the discussion should also focus on how the new configuration could benefit the continent.</p><p>Africa has, for a long time, been exempt from participating fully in global matters, particularly financial matters, because of its economic circumstances.</p><p>“With the discovery of critical minerals that are important in the new business, particularly AI, electric vehicles, etc., Africa might find itself involved in carrying the burden,” says Fakude.</p><blockquote><p><strong>READ: </strong><a href="https://www.enca.com/lifestyle-top-stories/un-backs-map-showing-africas-true-size"><span><strong>UN backs map showing Africa’s true size</strong></span></a></p></blockquote><p>“There might be a trade-off between Africa and other countries, particularly when it comes to the contribution towards solving global matters,” he says.</p><p>Fakude says the continent should not celebrate just yet, cautioning that size does not always translate into influence.</p><p>He says many measures are calculated on a per-capita basis, based on the population of individual countries.</p><p>Fakude says the resizing of the continent could help Africa, but it is likely to create debates about a possible increase in what the continent contributes towards its share of global consumption.</p><p>He warns this could ultimately come at the expense of Africa’s natural resources.</p></div>

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