Abu Dhabi: President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is currently visiting the Federal Republic of Germany, marking the first-ever state visit by a President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This state visit represents a historic moment in a partnership that has developed over decades.
Stable relations are of particular importance in times of major geopolitical challenges.
The coming days offer an opportunity to take cooperation between Germany and the UAE to a new level.
We can build on a strong economic foundation. Bilateral trade is set to reach a volume of 13.6 billion euros in 2025, 15 percent more than in the previous year. Exports from the UAE to Germany have even risen by 58 percent. Few economic relationships are currently developing with such momentum.
This is possible because the strengths of both countries complement one another: as an industrialised nation, Germany stands for outstanding engineering and cutting-edge technology. The UAE contributes capital, energy, infrastructure and a global network.
They also offer Germany access to the growth markets in the Gulf, Asia and Africa. Together, we can now lay the foundations for further long-term growth.
The potential is far from being fully realised
Just how well the two partners complement each other is already evident in concrete investments. With the takeover of Covestro by XRG, the international investment company of ADNOC, the UAE’s Arab oil and gas group, we made a significant investment in Germany’s industrial base last year.
The partnership is designed for the long term and signals confidence in Germany as an industrial location. Covestro employs more than 7,000 people at six German sites and is now part of a global chemicals platform.
In the energy sector, too, it is clear that the partnership is geared towards the long term. ADNOC has supplied significant volumes of liquefied natural gas to Germany, and the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm – in which the UAE state-owned energy group Masdar holds a stake – supplies renewable electricity to 475,000 German households.
At the same time, more than 2,000 German companies are already active in the UAE, ranging from mechanical engineering to services.
We can build on this foundation. The UAE has already invested more than 34 billion euros in Germany, primarily in the energy and industrial sectors. However, the potential is far from being fully realised. That is why, as part of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit, our two countries are establishing the German-Emirati Investment Council.
Now we must deliver
The Investment Council is intended to mobilise capital for long-term investments and open up new opportunities for companies from both countries. It is intended to identify opportunities and remove barriers. We want to invest specifically in industries of the future so that they can become more internationally competitive and grow.
The UAE intends to underpin this commitment with further substantial investments.
These are intended to create opportunities in both countries, particularly in those sectors that will determine tomorrow’s competitiveness and prosperity: modern manufacturing, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, healthcare, life sciences and agricultural technology.
As part of our partnership, we would like to see more German companies view the UAE as more than just a sales market. Our aim is for them to also invest, develop and manufacture here. Last but not least, we would like German companies to be able to use the UAE as a platform for accessing the dynamic markets in the Gulf, Asia and Africa.
The state visit therefore represents far more than just the expansion of trade.
It marks the beginning of an even closer economic and strategic partnership, through which we aim to lay the foundations for long-term growth for the benefit of both countries.
In a world where economic strength and strategic resilience are increasingly intertwined, such a partnership is of particular significance. It makes supply chains more resilient, drives innovation, enhances energy security and makes us more competitive.
We should not measure the next chapter of our relationship solely by the volume of trade between us. What matters is that, together, we create stronger industries, more resilient economies and new opportunities for the people of both countries.
Germany and the UAE can achieve a great deal together. This visit offers us the opportunity to turn ideas into reality. Now we must deliver.
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Dr. Al Jaber is the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Federal Republic of Germany
