GSA engages media ahead of historic UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents signing

The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) has engaged the media ahead of Ghana’s hosting of the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, scheduled for October 26, 2026, in Accra.

The engagement, held on October 15, 2026, was aimed at equipping journalists with information on the convention, its implications for Ghana’s trade and logistics sector, and the country’s role in efforts to modernise international trade documentation.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the GSA, Professor Ransford Gyampo, said the engagement was important in helping the public understand the significance of the convention and its potential impact on businesses.

He called on journalists to communicate the facts accurately and explain how the international instrument could improve trade processes and Ghana’s competitiveness.

“This engagement is intended to provide you with a clear understanding of the Convention, its significance to Ghana’s trade and logistics sector, and the importance of Ghana hosting this landmark international event,” he said.

The convention seeks to establish a harmonised legal framework for negotiable cargo documents in electronic form, allowing them to perform functions similar to those of their paper-based equivalents, subject to the instrument’s requirements.

Such documents, including bills of lading, are used in international commerce to represent rights to goods in transit and facilitate commercial transactions and trade finance.

Professor Gyampo noted that continued reliance on paper documentation could cause delays, increase administrative costs, expose transactions to fraud and complicate the movement of goods across borders.

He said the convention would provide the legal certainty needed to support electronic trade documentation and more integrated digital supply chains.

The GSA chief executive also urged journalists to look beyond the signing ceremony and focus on the broader implications for Ghana’s trade competitiveness, access to trade finance and participation in regional and global value chains.

He stressed, however, that the expected benefits would depend on sustained efforts towards the convention’s adoption, ratification and implementation, as well as the preparedness of businesses and other stakeholders to use electronic negotiable cargo documents.

On her part, Stella Ansha, a director at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said Ghana’s hosting of the ceremony presented an opportunity for the country to contribute to shaping the future of global trade.

Speaking on behalf of the sector minister, Ansha explained that the convention sought to address gaps in the use of negotiable cargo documents for goods transported by road, rail and air, in addition to maritime transport.

She said the framework could improve access to trade finance, create opportunities for small and women-led businesses, strengthen connections between landlocked countries and global markets, and facilitate digital trade.

Ansha disclosed that Ghana was preparing to sign the convention and proceed with ratification, while encouraging other countries to participate in the initiative.

The signing ceremony will be held alongside the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

BAI