ISTANBUL

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed on Saturday that leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg have adopted the summit declaration, public broadcaster SABC reported.

“We were getting closer and closer to that unanimous adoption and now we have a summit declaration adopted,” he told reporters.

Magwenya said there was a “slight change” in the program, 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 G20 leaders’ summit opened on Saturday in Johannesburg as delegates gathered for two days of talks.

The US, a founding member of the G20, has boycotted this year’s summit.

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.