UAE-Germany Strategic Partnership Expands Cooperation Prospects
UAE-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. These include:
- 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
- Supporting political and diplomatic solutions to crises
Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Germany were established in 1972, culminating in the declaration of a strategic partnership in 2004. Mutual visits between leaders and officials have strengthened consultation and coordination.
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.
- 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.
- Around 2,000 German companies operate in the UAE, using it as a regional hub serving markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
In July 2025, Berlin witnessed the launch of the Germany-UAE Business Council, attended by over 150 business leaders from both countries. 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.
For instance:
- In December 2025, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) announced a US$170 million expansion of its EGA Leichtmetall facility in Germany to increase aluminium recycling capacity.
- In the same month, XRG, ADNOC’s international energy investment company, completed a €14.7 billion transaction with Germany’s Covestro, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials.
