By Maria Martinez, Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Kopano Gumbi DURBAN (Reuters) -Finance chiefs from the Group of 20 countries stressed the importance of central bank independence while pledging to boost cooperation in a joint statement issued on Friday after a two-day meeting in South Africa.

The G20, which emerged as a forum for cooperation to combat the 2008 global financial crisis, failed to reach a joint stance when finance ministers and central bankers met in February, to the dismay of hosts South Africa.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not attend the two-day meeting in the port city of Durban, continuing a string of snubs by Trump administration officials.