Lawyer and entrepreneur Vicky Bright has called for stronger African institutions and improved governance, saying the continent cannot afford to ignore global geopolitical shifts in the wake of high-stakes international events.

Speaking on the AM Show, Vicky Bright said recent developments underscore the need for African countries to be united, resilient, and well-governed.

“For me, the lesson for us here in Ghana and for all of Africa is to strengthen our institutions to come together and be a force to be reckoned with,” she said.

She argued that weak governance and fragile institutions make countries vulnerable to foreign intervention, citing recent events in Venezuela as a cautionary tale.

Her comments follow a daring U.S. military operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

In Washington, President Donald Trump confirmed the success of the mission on Saturday, announcing that both Maduro and Flores had been extracted from Venezuelan soil and were now being processed at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.

Vicky Bright noted that while the incident occurred thousands of miles from Africa, its implications resonate globally.

“You cannot sit here in isolation and pretend that it has nothing to do with us here in Ghana,” she said, urging African leaders to strengthen their countries, institutions, and practices of good governance.

She warned that countries with weak institutions and poor governance risk becoming targets of intervention from powerful external actors.

The lawyer emphasised that the African Union (AU) must move beyond being a “talking shop” to become an effective platform for continental coordination and resilience.

“It’s not as simple as it used to be. African institutions and leaders need to take certain things seriously to protect their nations and citizens,” she added, highlighting the broader lesson for Ghana and the continent at large.

The U.S. operation in Venezuela is expected to trigger a historic legal battle, with the Department of Justice reportedly levying multiple charges against the Venezuelan leaders, signalling potential long-term implications for international law and diplomacy.