UAE and Germany partnership expands cooperation prospects

ABU DHABI / WAM

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Federal Republic of Germany share strong and diverse relations that have continued to grow over 54 years of cooperation across politics, economy, investment, energy, industry, technology, innovation, education, culture and tourism.
Relations between the two countries are founded on dialogue, mutual respect and shared interests, with common positions on several regional and international issues, notably the importance of maintaining regional security and stability, ensuring the safety of international navigation, rejecting interference in the internal affairs of states, combating extremism and terrorism, rejecting hate speech, and supporting political and diplomatic solutions to crises. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1972 and have since witnessed significant developments, culminating in the declaration of a strategic partnership in 2004. Mutual visits between the leaders and officials of both countries have helped strengthen consultation and coordination on bilateral, regional and international issues and open new avenues for cooperation.
Economic and trade relations are among the key pillars of the partnership. The UAE is Germany’s most important economic partner in the Arabian Gulf region, while bilateral trade exceeded €13.56 billion in 2025, with Germany’s imports from the UAE rising by more than 50 percent during the same year.
The UAE market is home to around 2,000 German companies that use the country as a regional hub serving markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, while the UAE business community continues to expand its presence and investments in the German market.
In July 2025, Berlin witnessed the launch of the Germany-UAE Business Council, attended by more than 150 business leaders and corporate representatives from both countries, with the aim of strengthening trade and investment and developing partnerships between their business communities. Meanwhile, the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce (AHK), established in 2009, comprises more than 500 German and Emirati companies.
UAE investments in Germany reflect the evolution of the partnership from trade towards strategic investments and long-term industrial partnerships. In December 2025, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) announced a US$170 million expansion of its EGA Leichtmetall facility in Germany to significantly increase aluminium recycling capacity, with first hot metal expected in 2028.
In December 2025, XRG, ADNOC’s international energy investment company, completed its strategic partnership with Germany’s Covestro, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials, following a transaction valued at €14.7 billion, further strengthening the UAE’s investment presence in advanced industries. In May 2026, AD Ports Group signed an agreement to acquire Germany-based MBS Logistics for an enterprise value of AED300 million, providing the Group with strategic access to key Central European logistics corridors and strengthening its presence in multimodal logistics.
Energy represents a major pillar of the UAE-Germany strategic partnership. The UAE and Germany launched the Emirati-German Energy Partnership in 2017, expanding cooperation in 2022 to include climate action. Recent years have witnessed progress in hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels, renewable energy, power grid connectivity, industrial decarbonisation and energy storage.
In January 2026, the UAE hosted the 10th High-Level Steering Group Meeting of the Emirati-German Energy Partnership, during which the two sides identified priorities for cooperation and key areas of work for the year. ADNOC, meanwhile, continues to strengthen its role in meeting the German market’s energy needs.
In this context, ADNOC Gas signed a three-year agreement with Germany’s SEFE Securing Energy for Europe in July 2025 for the supply of 0.7 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG), valued at approximately AED1.5 billion. In February 2026, ADNOC and RWE Supply & Trading GMBH (RWE) announced a strategic collaboration agreement to explore opportunities for LNG supply to Germany and European markets of up to 1 mtpa for up to 10 years.
In parallel, cooperation in clean energy continues to expand, with Masdar and its German partners exploring opportunities to develop battery energy storage systems in Germany, alongside cooperation in offshore wind and green hydrogen projects, reflecting the two countries’ commitment to supporting the transition towards more sustainable energy systems.
Cooperation is also growing in science and advanced technology. In June 2025, a UAE delegation visited Germany to strengthen cooperation in biotechnology, emerging and advanced technologies, and innovation. In May 2026, the UAE Cyber Security Council and Siemens signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cybersecurity across critical infrastructure and industrial sectors, including plans to establish a Joint Innovation Centre of Excellence dedicated to operational technology cybersecurity.
Cooperation between the two countries also extends to education and vocational training, with German schools operating in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. In May 2026, the German Emirati Vocational Institute (GEVI) was launched in Sharjah, offering a dual vocational education model that combines classroom learning with practical training. It began with Automotive Mechatronics and Automotive Sales programmes, offering qualifications recognised in Germany and equivalent to a Level 4 diploma in the UAE.
Culture, tourism and aviation provide further bridges between the two peoples. The Goethe-Institut opened in Abu Dhabi in 2006, while travel between the two countries continues to grow steadily. In June 2026, Emirates announced its readiness to launch daily services to Berlin and Stuttgart, committing more than €100 million annually in operational expenditure, subject to the necessary approvals. In August 2026, Air Arabia announced the launch of daily non-stop flights between Sharjah and Düsseldorf starting on 16th December 2026.