Ghana hosts historic signing ceremony of UN Accra Convention on negotiable cargo documents

Story by: Regina Bless

Ghana has hosted the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, popularly known as the Accra Convention, marking a significant milestone in international trade and cross-border transportation.

The ceremony, held on Monday, October 26, 2026, coincided with the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). The Convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 15, 2025.

The event brought together representatives of member states and key stakeholders to strengthen international cooperation, harmonise trade laws and promote the efficient movement of goods across borders.

Speaking on behalf of the Government of Ghana, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, highlighted UNCITRAL’s contributions to international trade over the past six decades. He stressed the importance of cooperation among countries amid growing geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty.

He also called on United Nations member states to sign, ratify and implement the Convention to strengthen regional integration, promote a fairer global trading system and support the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).

Meanwhile, Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, said the Convention would help reduce administrative bottlenecks, provide greater flexibility in cargo transportation and improve the movement of goods across road, rail and air networks.

He emphasised the need for coordinated implementation among member states to facilitate seamless cross-border trade and stimulate economic growth.

UNCITRAL Secretary and Director of the International Trade Law Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, Anna Joubin-Bret, expressed appreciation to Ghana for hosting the ceremony. She explained that the Convention seeks to reduce legal uncertainty in international trade and facilitate cross-border commercial transactions.

She further noted that its success would depend on widespread adoption and effective implementation by participating countries.

Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, who spoke on behalf of the President, highlighted the Convention’s potential to address gaps in cargo documentation across road, rail and air transportation.

She identified three key features of the Convention: its application to goods in transit, protection for buyers and banks relying on negotiable cargo documents, and the recognition of electronic cargo documents as having the same legal effect as paper-based documents.

Madam Ofosu-Adjare also announced that her ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant stakeholders, would begin the necessary domestic legal processes towards ratification, with the aim of positioning Ghana among the first countries to ratify the Convention.

She stressed that Ghana’s role as host would be more meaningful if followed by concrete steps towards ratification and implementation.

Following the declaration that the Convention was open for signature, 26 countries signed the Accra Convention, marking an important step towards its wider adoption and implementation.

The Convention is expected to support international trade, strengthen regional integration and improve the efficiency of cargo movement, particularly across Africa, as countries work towards more seamless and coordinated trading systems.