By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – Ghana will host the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCDs) on October 26, 2026, in a move to support trade facilitation and digital transformation.
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) said the Convention would establish a harmonised legal framework for using electronic negotiable cargo documents for goods transported across borders.
He was speaking at a media engagement in Accra to explain the Convention’s significance to Ghana’s trade and logistics sector ahead of the signing ceremony.
Adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 15, 2025, the Accra Convention establishes a uniform legal framework for negotiable cargo documents (NCDs) in both paper and electronic formats across all modes of transport.
He said the Convention could help reduce documentation-related delays, administrative costs and transaction risks associated with paper-based trade processes.
He said negotiable cargo documents, including bills of lading, played an important role in
international commerce by representing rights to goods in transit, supporting commercial transactions and facilitating trade finance.
“However, continued reliance on paper documents could delay transactions, increase costs and complicate cargo movement involving different transport operators, financial institutions and jurisdictions, he said.
Professor Gyampo said the Convention would provide the legal basis for electronic negotiable cargo documents to perform the functions of their paper-based equivalents, subject to its requirements.
He said the development could improve transaction efficiency, facilitate access to trade finance and support the integration of digital systems across international supply chains.
The Chief Executive Officer said hosting the ceremony would demonstrate Ghana’s
commitment to modernising commercial law, strengthening trade connectivity and advancing its ambition to become a preferred trade and logistics hub in West Africa.
He said the Convention also had relevance to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as a common legal framework for electronic cargo documents could help reduce documentary barriers and improve cross-border trade.
Professor Gyampo said the GSA would continue working with relevant ministries, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), industry stakeholders and international partners to promote awareness and support the Convention’s effective adoption and implementation.
For Ghanaian importers and exporters, the Convention could reduce administrative burdens, speed up trade transactions and improve access to financing, although the benefits would depend on its adoption, ratification and implementation.
Madam Stella Ansah, Representative of the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, said the Convention would extend the benefits of negotiable cargo documents to goods transported by road, rail and air.
She said the framework could create financing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, strengthen links between landlocked countries and global markets, and support more efficient digital trade.
Madam Ansah said the Convention would enter into force 180 days after the deposit of the 10th instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, in accordance with its provisions.
She said Ghana was preparing to sign the Convention and intended to proceed with the ratification process, while encouraging other countries to join the initiative.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade