G20 summit declaration adopted: South Africa presidential spokesperson

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has confirmed that leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg have adopted the summit declaration.

“We were getting closer and closer to that unanimous adoption, and now we have a summit declaration adopted,” he told the public broadcaster SABC on Saturday.

Magwenya said there was a “slight change” in the programme, with the summit declaration moved to the first order of the day, normally adopted at the end, after a sense emerged during bilateral talks that it should be adopted before the rest of the session.

“The declaration affirms that the UN Charter remains the central guiding point, along with international law, in addressing disputes, avoiding the use of force, and committing to the peaceful resolution of conflicts,” he added.

The declaration also stressed the seriousness of climate crisis and voiced strong support for international efforts to triple global renewable energy capacity.

‘We cannot bend the rules for one country’

The G20 leaders’ summit opened on Saturday in Johannesburg as delegates gathered for two days of talks.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced that he would not send an American official to Johannesburg for the meeting, accusing South Africa of “human rights abuses” against the white Afrikaner population – claims the South African government has repeatedly rejected as unfounded.

Magwenya said: “One must consider that there is more than one country. We cannot bend the rules for one country.”

“We need to respect those who have been part of the process and worked tirelessly to make this G20 a success, even with the adoption of the declaration,” he added.

Established in 1999, the G20 comprises 19 countries and two regional bodies – the EU and the African Union.