Ghana is seeking international support for a United Nations convention that could make it easier for businesses to finance, transfer, and trade goods in transit, as the country prepares to host the agreement’s signing ceremony on October 26, 2026.
More than 10 countries are expected in Accra for the signing of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents. Also known as the Accra Convention, the meeting seeks to modernise cargo documentation and improve the efficiency of international trade.
The convention will establish a common legal framework for negotiable cargo documents in paper and electronic formats, covering goods transported by road, rail, air and sea. It is designed to extend the benefits traditionally associated with negotiable shipping documents to other modes of transport.
Speaking at a media engagement organised by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority in Accra on Thursday, October 15, Stella Akosua Ansah, Director of the Foreign Trade and Negotiations Directorate at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said the framework could improve access to finance, particularly for small businesses. She spoke on behalf of the sector minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.
Madam Ansah said the convention could create new opportunities for small and women-led businesses, strengthen connections between landlocked countries and international markets, and support more efficient digital trade.
Under the proposed framework, negotiable cargo documents would allow rights to goods in transit to be transferred through the appropriate documents, which will enable businesses to sell or use goods as security for financing before they arrive at their destination.
Resolving gaps in trade documentation
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Professor Ransford Edward Gyampo, said modernising trade documentation has become increasingly important as international commerce becomes more digitalised and global supply chains grow more complex.
He noted that despite advances in technology, critical aspects of international trade still rely heavily on paper-based documentation. He explained that this has created a need for a legal framework that accommodates electronic records and different modes of transportation.
The convention intends to address these gaps by providing a uniform set of rules for negotiable cargo documents, including their electronic use, across road, rail, air, and sea transport.
This could help businesses move goods across multiple transport systems without facing the same documentation barriers that can complicate transactions and the transfer of rights to cargo.
Ghana pushes for regional adoption
Beyond hosting the signing ceremony, Ghana is engaging member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and encouraging them to consider signing the convention.
The government has indicated its intention to sign the agreement and pursue ratification, while working with relevant ministries and international institutions to build support for its adoption.
The October 26 ceremony will also coincide with activities marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The convention will not enter into force immediately after the signing ceremony. Under its provisions, it will take effect 180 days after the deposit of the tenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
Its eventual impact will therefore depend on countries adopting the framework and putting in place the necessary legal and operational arrangements.
For Ghanaian businesses, particularly exporters, importers, and small enterprises looking for financing, the convention presents an opportunity to reduce documentation barriers and improve access to trade finance. Its wider benefits will depend on how widely it is adopted and implemented across trading markets.
