President Sheikh Mohamed's State Visit Highlights Strong and Enduring UAE-German Relations

Since President Sheikh Mohamed’s official visit to Germany in June 2019 in his previous capacity as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the world has endured the Covid-19 pandemic, wars on numerous fronts, and increasing climate concerns. Seven years on, the UAE President's state visit comes at a time when bilateral relations between the nations are arguably stronger than ever and a source of strength in uncertain times across the globe.

The strategic partnership extends far beyond the political realm, with trade and investment becoming increasingly vital in UAE-German ties. Germany turns to Gulf energy as RWE signs provisional LNG deal with Adnoc. The energy partnership between the two countries is now in its 10th year, with the initial focus on renewables expanded in 2021 to involve robust action on climate change.

The UAE has emerged as Germany's most important trading partner in the Gulf. Bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded Dh57 billion ($15.52 billion) last year, with German imports from the UAE increasing by more than 50 per cent. An estimated 2,000 German businesses have set up office in the UAE, including BMW, Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, and the railway company Deutsche Bahn, which played an important role in establishing Etihad Rail’s first freight services.

Bilateral ties trace back to May 1972, six months after the formation of the UAE and the establishment of diplomatic ties with what was then West Germany. Communist East Germany had no formal relationship with the UAE, but when East and West united after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the embassy in Abu Dhabi transitioned to the Federal Republic of Germany, while the UAE moved its embassy to the new capital, Berlin.

Informal links run even deeper. In 1904, German explorer Hermann Burchardt arrived in Abu Dhabi with his camera, capturing early images of life in the capital, including Sheikh Zayed the First in his majlis and at Qasr Al Hosn, which are now displayed at Zayed National Museum on Saadiyat Island. Sixty years later, the German company Seibert laid a pipeline from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi, providing the city with its first constant supply of drinking water in 1964.

Shared cultural appreciations include a love for powerful automobiles, particularly Mercedes-Benz. Abdul Jalil Al Fahim imported the first four Mercedes-Benz vehicles in 1962, and Emirates Motor Company (EMC) remains the official dealership in the UAE today. The vehicles were favorites of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Furthermore, the country’s first traffic lights, installed in Dubai in 1971, were manufactured by Siemens.

Football also forms a shared passion. When the UAE qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, both countries competed in the same group stage, highlighted by Khalid Mubarak scoring the first-ever World Cup goal for an Emirati player against the eventual champions, Germany.

Politically, a formal strategic partnership was established in April 2004 through an accord signed in Berlin by then German chancellor Gerhard Schroder and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed. In 2022, the Energy Security and Industry Accelerator Agreement further committed the UAE to supplying Germany with liquefied natural gas and accelerating joint projects in decarbonisation and climate action. Despite testing political climates, these robust ties continue to thrive.