26 countries sign Accra Convention to facilitate international trade
Twenty-six countries have signed the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, known as the Accra Convention, aimed at reducing legal uncertainties and facilitating the movement of goods across international borders.
The signing ceremony was hosted by the Government of Ghana in Accra on Monday, October 26, 2026, to coincide 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, and is intended to improve the efficiency of cargo movement across road, rail and air transport networks.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ghana’s Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said the agreement had the potential to address existing gaps in cargo documentation and strengthen trade across Africa.
She highlighted three key features of the Convention: its application to goods in transit, the protection it provides to buyers and banks relying on negotiable cargo documents, and the recognition of electronic documents as having the same legal effect as their paper-based equivalents.
Ofosu-Adjare, who spoke on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, announced that her ministry would work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant stakeholders to begin the domestic legal processes required for Ghana to ratify the Convention.
She said Ghana aimed to become one of the first countries to ratify the agreement.
“Ghana’s role as host of the signing ceremony would be more meaningful if followed by concrete action towards its ratification and implementation,” she said.
The minister also called on other countries to support the Convention, stressing that improving the movement of goods across Africa was essential to promoting intra-African trade and strengthening regional integration.
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs James Gyakye Quayson, who spoke on behalf of the Government of Ghana, called on United Nations member states to sign, ratify and implement the Convention to realise its full benefits.
He said international cooperation remained essential amid global uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions.
Quayson highlighted UNCITRAL’s contribution to international trade over the past six decades, stressing the need to harmonise trade laws, expand global commerce and strengthen cooperation among countries of the Global South.
He also noted that the Convention could support regional integration and the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
Minister of Transport Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the Convention would provide greater flexibility in cargo transportation, reduce administrative bottlenecks and improve the movement of goods across different transport networks.
He called for a coordinated approach to implementing the agreement, urging member states to work together to facilitate the seamless movement of goods across national borders and international trade corridors.
Nikpe reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to collaborate with UNCITRAL and other stakeholders to support the Convention’s implementation and promote trade and economic growth.
Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL and Director of the International Trade Law Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, thanked the Government of Ghana for hosting the ceremony.
She said UNCITRAL had spent six decades working to harmonise international trade law, reduce legal uncertainty and facilitate cross-border commercial transactions.
Joubin-Bret explained that the Accra Convention was designed to reduce legal uncertainty in international trade and make the movement of goods across borders more efficient.
However, she stressed that the agreement’s benefits would depend on widespread adoption and effective implementation by member states.
She also acknowledged the contributions of international and regional organisations, industry stakeholders and the Government of China towards advancing the Convention and raising awareness of its objectives.
Following Joubin-Bret’s declaration that the Convention was open for signature, 26 countries signed the agreement, marking a significant step towards its wider adoption.
Representatives of participating countries welcomed the Convention, highlighting its potential to improve cargo movement, facilitate international trade and strengthen cooperation among nations.
The ceremony reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to multilateral cooperation, the modernisation of international trade law and the promotion of a more efficient and inclusive global trading system.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com« Previous |
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