Vice President Opoku-Agyemang calls for Global South financial reforms

Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for significant reforms to the global financial system and international institutions to better represent the needs of developing nations. Speaking at the 2026 Global South Academic Forum in Shanghai, China, she emphasized that while nations in the Global South hold a substantial share of the world’s population and resources, their influence in global decision-making remains insufficient.

Opoku-Agyemang argued that international financial arrangements must be restructured to support the development of poorer countries without increasing their economic vulnerabilities. She also advocated for global climate arrangements that recognize the varying capacities and circumstances of different developing nations.

Beyond economics, the Vice President urged increased cooperation among universities in the Global South, specifically regarding research, technology, and artificial intelligence. She noted that political independence is merely a starting point, stating, “The greater task is to build strong institutions, productive economies and systems that respond to our people’s aspirations.”