Dear Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

Delegates from the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt visited New Zealand in May 2013 as part of The Nahda Project (Renaissance Project) to learn about democratic processes. The visit was facilitated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). The group may have visited agencies such as the State Services Commission (now Public Service Commission), which oversees public sector performance, and also may have met with the Office of the Ombudsman, a key institution for government accountability. Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem is recorded as observing that the officials were highly engaged, describing them as trying to “soak up as much information as they could.” The delegation appeared to be focused on understanding how New Zealand handles complaints, transparency, and oversight mechanisms.

I request all records held by MFAT regarding the May 2013 visit of Muslim Brotherhood delegates from Egypt, including but not limited to itineraries, delegate lists, meeting minutes, and correspondence with other agencies or organisations.

Yours faithfully,
Pseudonym, South Island