UAE and Germany Explore Avenues to Expand Private Sector Cooperation Across Key Growth Sectors

* Bilateral trade surpassed €13.56 billion in 2025, while German imports from the UAE rose by more than 50%, underscoring growing economic momentum
* Visit reinforces UAE-Germany collaboration across industry, energy, advanced manufacturing, innovation and emerging technologies

His Excellency Badr Jafar, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business & Philanthropy, concluded an official working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, during which he held a series of meetings with senior business leaders and institutional representatives in Düsseldorf and Munich. H.E. Badr Jafar was accompanied on the visit by His Excellency Ahmed Alattar, UAE Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.

The visit came as part of efforts to further strengthen UAE-Germany relations and expand avenues of cooperation across priority sectors, including industry, energy, advanced manufacturing, water technology, mobility, digital infrastructure, space, sport, culture and innovation, and also underscored the growing role of private sector engagement in advancing practical partnerships between the two countries.

The UAE is Germany’s most important economic partner in the Gulf region, with bilateral trade exceeding €13.56 billion in 2025. German imports from the UAE rose by more than 50 percent in 2025, reflecting continued momentum in two-way trade. Approximately 2,000 German companies have offices in the UAE, many of which use the country as a platform to serve the wider Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The visit also comes as the UAE and European Union continue to advance discussions toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, aimed at deepening trade, investment, and cooperation across strategic sectors. Germany’s role as Europe’s largest economy and one of the UAE’s most important European partners makes UAE-Germany business engagement central to the broader UAE-EU economic relationship.

During the visit, H.E. Badr Jafar held more than 15 bilateral meetings with senior executives and institutional leaders from leading German companies and organizations. The discussions focused on opportunities to expand trade and investment, deepen industrial cooperation, strengthen innovation partnerships, and identify practical areas where UAE-based partners and German institutions can collaborate across regional and global markets.

Meetings included engagements with senior representatives from Covestro, Wilo Group, Henkel, RWE, SEFE Energy, DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, NRW.Global Business, Knorr-Bremse, TKMS, the Deutsches Museum, Airbus Defence and Space, BMW Group, ALLPLAN, and Nemetschek Group, among others.

Discussions with German industrial and manufacturing companies explored opportunities to expand cooperation in sustainable materials, industrial integration, advanced manufacturing, downstream production, and regional market access. The meetings also examined how German companies with an existing UAE presence can further scale trade, manufacturing, research and development, and partnership activity through the UAE.

Energy-related meetings focused on energy security, supply diversification, clean energy, battery storage, low-carbon fuels, hydrogen, carbon management, and energy trading. The discussions reflected the importance of UAE-Germany cooperation in supporting resilient, diversified, and future-ready energy systems.

Water technology and sustainable infrastructure were also key areas of discussion, including opportunities to expand cooperation around water management, smart logistics, AI-enabled innovation in the water sector, and the UAE’s role as a platform for regional deployment of advanced water technologies.

The visit also highlighted opportunities across mobility, rail technology, transport safety, digital construction, space systems, secure communications, Earth observation, and cultural and knowledge cooperation. Discussions further explored youth development and sports partnerships, including the growing cooperation between German and UAE football institutions.

H.E. Badr Jafar said the visit reflected the breadth and maturity of UAE-Germany relations, and the importance of private sector engagement in translating strategic ties into practical cooperation.

“The UAE and Germany share a strong foundation of economic partnership, industrial capability, and long-term ambition,” His Excellency said. “The opportunity now is to build on that foundation by deepening private sector collaboration across the sectors that will shape the next phase of growth, resilience, and innovation. As global trade, supply chains, technology, and investment flows continue to reconfigure, the UAE is well positioned as a platform for German companies seeking regional and global growth. Equally, German expertise in industry, energy, mobility, infrastructure, and advanced technology offers significant opportunities for UAE-based partners.”

H.E. Alattar said: “The UAE-Germany relationship continues to grow in depth, ambition, and practical relevance. Germany is one of the UAE’s most important European partners, and this visit reflects the shared commitment of both countries to expanding cooperation across sectors that are central to future economic growth, from industry and energy to technology, infrastructure, and innovation.”

The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of the UAE and Germany to strengthening cooperation across public and private sectors, advancing sustainable economic growth, and supporting the development of new partnerships that serve the mutual interests of both countries. It also highlighted the UAE’s role as a regional and global business hub, connecting capital, enterprise, technology, and market access across the Gulf, Asia, Africa, and Europe.