For information only – not an official document

UNIS/L/349
27 September 2023

Rwanda accedes to United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods

97th State to become party to the Convention

VIENNA, 27 September (UN Information Service) - With its accession to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), Rwanda becomes the 97th State Party to the Convention. The Convention will enter into force for Rwanda on 1 October 2024.

The CISG establishes a comprehensive code of legal rules governing the formation of contracts for the international sale of goods, the obligations of the buyer and seller, remedies for breach of contract and other aspects of the contract. It provides an equitable and modern uniform framework for the contract of sale, which is the backbone of international trade in all countries, irrespective of their legal tradition or level of economic development. Its adoption and use may contribute significantly to introducing certainty in commercial exchanges and decreasing transaction costs.

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The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. Its mandate is to remove legal obstacles to international trade by progressively modernizing and harmonizing trade law. It prepares legal texts in a number of key areas such as international commercial dispute settlement, electronic commerce, insolvency, international payments, sale of goods, transport law, procurement and infrastructure development. UNCITRAL also provides technical assistance to law reform activities, including assisting Member States to review and assess their law reform needs and to draft the legislation required to implement UNCITRAL texts. The UNCITRAL Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria, and maintains a website at uncitral.un.org

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For more information please contact:
José Angelo Estrella Faria
Principal Legal Officer and Head, Legislative Branch
UNCITRAL Secretariat
Email: joseangelo.estrella-faria[at]un.org

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