Odd-man-out Donald Trump wins G20 favours

 World leaders made concessions on trade and climate language to Donald Trump on Saturday at the end of the most fractious and riot-hit G20 summit ever, in exchange for preserving a fragile unity of the club of major industrialised and emerging economies.

In a departure from final summit declarations that tend to outline consensus on issues that range from fighting terrorism to financial governance, the extraordinary conclusions this year spelled out differences on core issues.

It acknowledged Trump's decision to go his own way on taking the US out of the 2015 Paris climate accord and clearly stated Washington's wish to continue using and selling fossil fuels that are a main driver of global warming.

The declaration also stated for the first time the right of countries to protect their markets with "legitimate trade defence instruments" - wording that essentially gives Trump wiggle room to push on with his America First policy.

The nationalistic stance has set him on collision course with many of America's allies, who warned Trump against an isolationist path and starting a round of trade war.

What the leaders did and didn't agree on:

AGREED

> To support free trade and open markets, a key promise from earlier summits

> To acknowledge that countries can use 'legitimate trade defence instruments' to protect their companies if trade partners are taking advantage of them

> To fight terrorism by, among other things, pushing Internet providers to detect and remove extremist content

> To make a renewed push to reduce excess steel production capacity - mainly in China

NOT AGREED

> To unanimously support the Paris agreement on climate change; a paragraph was agreed in which the summit  'takes note' of the US decision to withdraw. It says the other leaders agree the Paris deal is 'irreversible'

> To pursue UN sanctions such as asset freezes and travel bans against criminals smuggling people from Africa and the Middle East to Europe

Source: Khaleej Times