Ghana to host UN signing of negotiable cargo documents convention

Ghana is set to host the signing of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, referred to as the Accra Convention, on October 26, 2026. The event in Accra is expected to draw representatives from over 10 countries, along with various international organizations and the global trading community.

The convention aims to establish a unified legal framework for negotiable cargo documents in both paper and electronic formats. This framework will cover goods transported via road, rail, air, and maritime routes. By modernizing documentation, the initiative seeks to reduce barriers to cross-border trade, facilitate faster and more secure transactions, and support trade financing by allowing businesses to transfer rights to goods while they are in transit.

Officials from the Ghana Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry and the Ghana Shippers’ Authority noted that the move is a response to the increasing digitalization of international commerce and the need to move away from inefficient paper-based processes.