The North West Province is proud to host a number of key G20 Working Group and Sherpa track meetings, as part of the build-up to the G20 South Africa Summit in November 2025.

The Sun City Convention Centre in the Moses Kotane local municipality hosted the Women in Financial Inclusion Working Group and Conference from 6-9 May 2025, and the second G20 Education Working Group Seminars and Meeting, from 27 to 29 May 2025. The Sherpa Track was hosted in the North West Province from 25-26 June 2025.

Coupled with the upcoming Sherpa Tracks, these prestigious gatherings mark a significant milestone for the province and the country as a whole, bringing together international delegates, policy-makers, and education experts to shape the future of learning in a globally interconnected world.

Speaking as the Provincial G20 Coordinator, MEC Bitsa Lenkopane, for the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, extended a warm welcome to delegates from around the world – watch the video below.

“Hosting the G20 Education Working Group in the North West is a proud moment for our province and a strategic opportunity to position ourselves as a destination for international cooperation, investment, and cultural exchange,” said MEC Lenkopane in May 2025.

She emphasised that while the focus is on education, the meeting also opens doors for broader socio-economic partnerships.

Delivering remarks on behalf of MEC Lenkopane, Cllr Lucas Moate, Chief Whip of Moses Kotane Local Municipality, described the dialogues as “timely and necessary in an era where mobility, collaboration, and shared knowledge are the currency of the future.”

“Our province is proud to be the backdrop of these groundbreaking conversations,” said Moate. “We invite all our international guests to immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and warm hospitality that define the North West. As we engage in education, let us also connect through tourism, trade, and shared aspirations.”

In a parallel engagement to the G20 Sherpa Track meetings held on 25 and 26 June 2025, DEDECT MEC Bitsa Lenkopane hosted an interprovincial engagement with her counterpart, MEC for the Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA), Ketso Makume. The aim was to forge a collaboration to unlock cross-border initiatives and deliver mutual benefit for the two provinces. 
Read the full report on the cross-border cooperation session here.

As South Africa leads the G20 in 2025, the North West Province is proud to contribute meaningfully, not only as a hosting partner but as an engaged player in shaping the global education and development agenda.

The G20 Sherpa Track is led by the personal representatives of G20 leaders and oversee negotiations and discuss the points that form the summit’s agenda and coordinate most of the work.
The Sherpa appointed by the South African government is the Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Zane Dangor.

The Sherpa Track is made up of 15 working groups, addressing a wide range of key areas, from Digital Economy to Trade and Investments. Read more on the Sherpa tracks, on the G20 South Africa website – https://g20.org/

For the full G20 South Africa programme of activities, view the full event calendar here.

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Article compiled by Annemarie Marx, NWDC
Source information: DEDECT news releases and G20.org