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Accra Convention signed by 26 nations in Ghana

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-26 21:06 UTC → 2026-10-27 14:34 UTC · added removed

On October 26, 2026, representatives from 26 countries gathered in Accra, Ghana, to sign the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, informally known as the Accra Convention. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2025, the agreement establishes a unified legal framework for negotiable cargo documents—such as bills of lading—across road, rail, air, and maritime transport. A central component of the convention is granting electronic cargo documents the same legal standing as paper records. This digital transformation aims to modernize international commerce, reduce logistical constraints, and facilitate faster, more secure transactions. By providing legal protection to buyers and banks, the framework is expected to improve access to credit, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Prior to Following the signing, Ghana’s Chinese Vice Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, of Commerce Jiang Chenghua noted that the regulatory innovation fills a gap in current international rules by allowing goods ownership representation to extend beyond traditional maritime bills of lading, thereby improving supply chain efficiency. Ghanaian Commerce Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, conducted sensitization programs for ECOWAS Member States Ofosu-Adjare announced that the country will soon begin legislative processes and implement pilot projects to ensure test the instrument aligned with national laws. use of these negotiable documents. Officials from the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the ECOWAS Commission have encouraged member states to support the ratification and implementation of emphasized the framework to strengthen trade integration across treaty’s importance, with Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret thanking China for its support during the African continent. drafting process.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-27 14:34 UTC Accra Convention signed by 26 nations in Ghana
  2. 2026-10-26 21:06 UTC Accra Convention signed by 26 nations in Ghana
  3. 2026-10-21 09:42 UTC Ghana hosting UN cargo documentation convention signing
  4. 2026-10-16 15:31 UTC Ghana hosting UN cargo documentation convention signing

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