Ghana on Monday hosted the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, popularly known as the Accra Convention, in a landmark event that coincided with the 60th anniversary celebrations of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
The Convention, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 15, 2025, is aimed at reducing legal uncertainty in international trade and facilitating the efficient movement of goods across borders.
The ceremony brought together representatives of member states, international organisations and industry stakeholders to advance international cooperation in trade law and strengthen cross-border commerce.
Speaking on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, welcomed participants and expressed confidence that the gathering would deepen cooperation among nations.
He praised UNCITRAL for its contributions to the development and harmonisation of international trade law over the past six decades and stressed the need for greater international collaboration at a time of growing global uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.
Mr Quayson said harmonised trade laws, expanded global commerce and stronger cooperation among countries of the Global South were critical to building a more equitable international trading system.
He also encouraged all United Nations member states to sign, ratify and implement the Accra Convention to maximise its benefits, including support for regional integration efforts and the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).
Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, highlighted the significance of the transport sector to national development, noting that the Convention would improve cargo movement through greater flexibility, fewer administrative bottlenecks and enhanced efficiency across road, rail and air transport systems.
He called for coordinated implementation of the Convention and urged member states to work together to facilitate the seamless movement of goods along international trade corridors.
Mr Nikpe reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to collaborating with UNCITRAL and other stakeholders to ensure the Convention achieves its intended objectives of boosting trade and economic growth.
For her part, Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL and Director of the International Trade Law Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, conveyed the appreciation of the United Nations Secretary-General to Ghana for hosting the signing ceremony.
She noted that UNCITRAL had spent the last 60 years advancing the harmonisation of international trade law, reducing legal uncertainty and facilitating cross-border commercial transactions.
According to her, the Accra Convention was designed to address legal challenges associated with international trade and cargo documentation, but its success would depend on widespread adoption and effective implementation by member states.
Ms Joubin-Bret also acknowledged the support of international and regional organisations, industry stakeholders and the Government of China for their contributions to promoting awareness and understanding of the Convention.
Delivering remarks on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, described the Convention as a major step towards addressing longstanding gaps in cargo documentation across road, rail and air transport modes.
She stressed the importance of facilitating the movement of goods across Africa to boost intra-African trade and deepen regional integration.
The Minister outlined three key features of the Convention: its application to goods in transit, the protection it provides for buyers and financial institutions relying on negotiable cargo documents, and the legal recognition of electronic cargo documents as equivalent to paper-based documents.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare further disclosed that her Ministry, working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other stakeholders, would begin the necessary domestic legal processes toward ratifying the Convention.
She said Ghana was determined to position itself among the first countries to ratify the agreement and noted that hosting the signing ceremony would be most meaningful if followed by concrete steps toward implementation.
Following the formal declaration by Ms Joubin-Bret opening the Convention for signature, 26 countries signed the Accra Convention, marking a significant milestone toward its global adoption.
Representatives of participating states commended Ghana for hosting the event and underscored the Convention’s potential to reduce legal uncertainty, facilitate international trade, improve cargo movement and strengthen international cooperation.
The ceremony reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to multilateralism, the modernisation of international trade law and the promotion of an inclusive, efficient and rules-based global trading system, while highlighting the need for continued collaboration among governments, international organisations and industry stakeholders to ensure the Convention’s successful implementation.