According to the Emirates News Agency, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will begin a state visit to Germany on September 9 at the invitation of the German President. The trip will feature discussions aimed at elevating the strategic partnership that has developed between the two countries over several decades. Officials plan to review progress in existing agreements while identifying new areas for collaboration that support sustainable growth objectives in both nations.
A schedule outlined ahead of the arrival indicates the UAE leader will receive military honors in Berlin on the second day of the visit, according to reports in the Berliner Zeitung. He is also expected to sign the city’s Golden Book and participate in a banquet hosted by the Federal President. The program includes an economic summit in Munich the following day that will bring together government and business representatives from both sides.
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Germany grew by 3.9 percent in 2024 to reach AED 49.9 billion, a Zawya report drawing on official data showed. The upward trend continued in the first six months of 2025 with a 19 percent increase to AED 27.6 billion, the same assessment found. Growth was recorded across exports, imports and re-exports with UAE exports rising 110 percent during that period.
Germany stands as the UAE’s leading economic partner in Europe with around 2,000 German companies maintaining operations in the Gulf state, Arabian Business data indicate. The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported a 17 percent increase in German business membership through August 2025 compared with the prior year. These developments reflect the UAE’s role as a platform for German firms targeting markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Abu Dhabi in February 2026 where he held talks with the UAE President on deepening bilateral relations, the Federal Government website stated. Discussions during that trip covered foreign trade policy, potential free trade arrangements and regional issues including Ukraine, Iran and Yemen. The state visit by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed provides an opportunity to follow up on those exchanges at the highest level.
UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber conducted preparatory working visits to Germany in the months leading up to the trip, according to Zawya coverage of those engagements. In meetings with Chancellor Merz and other officials, Al Jaber conveyed the UAE leadership’s commitment to advancing cooperation in energy transition, green hydrogen and advanced manufacturing. Both countries have identified innovation, supply chains and sustainable development as priority fields for joint investment.
