Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang seated from right with other leaders at the summit
Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, represented President John Dramani Mahama at the Fourth Meeting of the In Defence of Democracy Summit in Barcelona.
According to a post she made via her Facebook page on Saturday, April 18, 2026, she stated that the gathering brought together global leaders committed to safeguarding democratic values at a time when extremism, polarisation and disinformation are increasingly threatening governance worldwide.
She added in the post that the ‘In Defence of Democracy’ initiative, launched during the 2024 United Nations General Assembly, has since become a platform for heads of government and representatives of international organisations to coordinate efforts to defend democracy.
“The “In Defence of Democracy” initiative is an international effort to confront the growing threats posed by extremism, polarisation, and disinformation. Since its inaugural meeting at the 2024 United Nations General Assembly, the platform has brought together heads of government and representatives of international organizations to strengthen coordination to defend democracy,” she said.
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“At this meeting, discussions focused on three key priorities: strengthening institutions and multilateralism, addressing disinformation and the impact of digital technologies, and tackling extremism and inequality.
“In our deliberations, we emphasized the urgent need to address structural inequalities, reform international legal frameworks to better protect women and other vulnerable groups, and strengthen governance, accountability and oversight in the digital space,” she added in the post.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang also stated that, at the Barcelona meeting, discussions centred on three priorities: strengthening institutions and multilateralism, addressing disinformation and the impact of digital technologies, and tackling extremism and inequality.
In her address, she emphasised the urgent need to confront structural inequalities, reform international legal frameworks to better protect women and vulnerable groups, and strengthen governance, accountability, and oversight in the digital space.
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“Defending democracy requires strengthening the systems that sustain it. This is why many developing countries advocate for comprehensive reforms to the international development system and a reconfiguration of the global financial architecture,” she said.
She further stressed that financial resources must be distributed more equitably, lending conditions should not disproportionately burden poorer nations, and trade systems must serve the interests of all rather than a select few.
Highlighting Africa’s progress, she said the establishment and operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which aims to integrate markets, enhance competitiveness, boost intra-African trade, and foster prosperity with global partners.
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