President Cyril Ramaphosa closed a high-stakes but successful G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg on Sunday without US President Donald Trump present for a handover of the G20 presidency.

Still, he promised his peers that he would see them again at next year’s summit in the US.

The conclusion of the G20 Summit comes amid an ongoing rift between South Africa and the US over false claims from the Trump administration of a white genocide in South Africa and land confiscations sponsored by the government.

Holding a ceremonial gavel, Ramaphosa thanked his peers in the plenary hall for their participation in the summit and said he would see them at next year’s G20 summit to take place in the US.

“Let us move forward together, demonstrating to the world that we do have the capacity to confront and overcome the world’s challenges. Through partnerships across society and by remembering our common humanity, we can create a more secure, more just and more prosperous world.

“And together, we can ensure that no one is left behind. I now say that this gavel, this gavel of this G20 summit, formally closes this summit and now moves on to the next president of the G20, which is the US, where we shall see each other again next year. The summit is therefore closed.”

Despite announcing it would be boycotting the G20 Summit, the US demanded that the meeting refrain from presenting and adopting a declaration. Since the adoption of a declaration, the White House has accused South Africa of breaching protocols.

Elsewhere in his closing remarks, Ramaphosa said the weekend’s summit sought to bring sharp focus to a number of challenges confronting the nations of the world, particularly African and other emerging economies, including climate change, geopolitical tensions and capital market reforms.

“We have called for an end to countries and wars around the globe, and for a just and comprehensive and thus new peace. This summit has taken place at a crucial time, as calls around the world grow louder for progress on the imperatives of our time to end poverty in all its forms and ramifications, to reduce inequality within and among countries, and to take urgent action to combat climate change.”

He said this year, the G20 recognised the growing debt burden that is faced by many developing economy countries as a major obstacle to achieving the sustainable development goals of the UN.

“The G20 has pledged to extend support to low and middle-income countries as it confronts debt vulnerabilities. Together, we must create a virtuous cycle of reduced debt, higher public investment, and more rapid and inclusive economic growth. When we become more successful, all of us, then the whole world becomes successful.”

Because Trump did not attend the summit or send an appropriate official for the handover during the summit, South Africa plans to conduct the handover at the offices of the department of international relations and co-operation with the US chargé d’affaires in Pretoria in the coming days.