BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – During a state visit to Berlin, the United Arab Emirates and Germany initiated a Strategic Dialogue and reached an agreement to create a bilateral Investment Council. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attended the event where 12 government-level accords, memoranda, and declarations were announced. These agreements encompass sectors such as investment, energy, technology, aviation, security, legal cooperation, environmental issues, data systems, and cultural exchanges. They further strengthen the UAE-Germany Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has been in place since 2004.
The newly established Strategic Dialogue aims to enhance collaboration in areas including regional security, defense, trade, investment, energy, climate initiatives, digital transformation, transportation, education, and emerging technologies. Both nations also signed a declaration of intent to set up the German-UAE Investment Council, which will serve as a platform for public and private sector stakeholders to engage on various investment initiatives. Additionally, officials revived the Joint Economic Committee, providing another official venue for bilateral commercial and economic negotiations.
Among the government agreements are arrangements that facilitate air transport access for UAE national carriers at Berlin Airport. The accords also cover cooperation on passenger procedures, crime prevention efforts, and mutual legal assistance in criminal cases. Separate documentation addresses collaboration in defense and security, environmental policy, data hosting, and information technology systems. The two nations also committed to expanding energy cooperation further and signed a memorandum related to cultural collaboration.
Economic scale grows with €40 billion investment plan
The diplomatic visit also yielded a significant investment package valued at 40 billion euros from the UAE aimed at Germany. This package emphasizes the development of advanced digital infrastructure, including plans for new data centers with roughly 1 gigawatt of capacity. Alongside this, UAE and German companies formalized 29 business agreements and memoranda valued at over 9.356 billion euros. These commercial arrangements complement the government accords announced during the visit, broadening the economic scope of the bilateral engagement.
Trade and investment figures highlight the depth of current economic relations. Non-oil trade between UAE and Germany reached $15.5 billion in 2025, reflecting an increase of more than 14% compared to the previous year. Cumulative investment flows from 2021 to 2025 surpassed $10 billion. Both countries also acknowledged ongoing negotiations for a comprehensive trade agreement between the UAE and the European Union, signaling a move toward further economic integration.
Collaborations in energy, digital tech, and transportation expand further
The investment agenda promotes additional corporate projects involving notable companies such as Covestro, RWE, ADNOC, and Masdar. Existing UAE-related investments in Germany include XRG’s approximately 15 billion euro stake in Covestro. The two governments identified sectors like liquefied natural gas, renewable energy, and hydrogen as priorities for ongoing energy cooperation. Their agreements also extend to digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and other cutting-edge technologies, forming part of the larger bilateral framework.
The visit, taking place from September 9 to September 11, marks the first time a UAE president has made a state visit to Germany. During the trip, discussions covered economic collaboration, technological innovation, energy security, cultural exchange, education, and regional issues. The establishment of the Strategic Dialogue, Investment Council, and the suite of agreements provides both governments with formal mechanisms to enhance cooperation. Altogether, the measures unveiled in Berlin encompass policies at government level, investments, private-sector agreements, transportation access, and large-scale infrastructure projects.