BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – During a state visit to Berlin in September 2023, the United Arab Emirates and Germany advanced their partnership by launching a Strategic Dialogue and agreeing to create a bilateral Investment Council. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz witnessed the declaration of 12 government-level agreements, memoranda and statements. These cover sectors such as investment, energy, technology, aviation, security, legal cooperation, environmental issues, data systems, and culture. These accords serve to broaden the scope of the UAE-Germany Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2004.
The Strategic Dialogue aims to facilitate cooperation across areas including regional security, defence, trade, investment, energy, climate action, digital transformation, transport, education, and emerging technologies. Both nations also signed a declaration of intent to form the German-UAE Investment Council, which will act as a platform for both public and private sector engagement on investment initiatives. Additionally, officials revived the Joint Economic Committee, further strengthening formal channels for bilateral economic and commercial discussions.
Among the government agreements are new arrangements related to air transport access for UAE national carriers at Berlin Airport, as well as cooperation on passenger procedures, crime prevention, and mutual legal assistance in criminal cases. Separate documents also address cooperation in defence and security, environmental policy, data hosting, and information systems. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to expand energy collaboration and signed a memorandum on cultural cooperation.
Economic scope broadened with €40 billion investment package
The visit also resulted in a UAE investment initiative worth 40 billion euros directed at Germany. This package focuses on developing digital infrastructure and establishing new data centres with approximately 1 gigawatt of capacity. Furthermore, UAE and German companies signed 29 business agreements and memoranda valued at over 9.356 billion euros, complementing the government agreements announced during the visit and expanding the economic dimensions of the bilateral talks.
Trade and investment figures illustrate the depth of current economic relations, with UAE-Germany non-oil trade reaching $15.5 billion in 2025, reflecting an increase of more than 14% from the previous year. Total investment flows between the two nations surpassed $10 billion from 2021 to 2025. Both governments also highlighted ongoing negotiations for a comprehensive trade agreement between the UAE and the European Union.
Enhanced cooperation in energy, technology, and transportation sectors
The investment agenda encompasses additional corporate projects involving companies like Covestro, RWE, ADNOC, and Masdar. Existing UAE-linked investments in Germany include XRG’s roughly 15 billion euro stake in Covestro. Both parties identified liquefied natural gas, renewable energy, and hydrogen as key areas for continued cooperation in energy. Their agreements also include digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies as part of the broader bilateral framework.
Running from September 9 to September 11, the visit marked the first time a UAE president made a state visit to Germany. Discussions in Berlin covered economic cooperation, technology, energy, culture, education, and regional issues. The Strategic Dialogue, Investment Council, and the associated agreements establish new formal channels for managing bilateral collaboration. The measures announced during the visit encompass government policy, investments, private sector agreements, transportation access, and significant infrastructure projects.