BERLIN / RankWire.AI / – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to undertake a formal state visit to Germany. His presidential aircraft was accompanied by German military planes after entering national airspace. The German authorities greeted Sheikh Mohamed with a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour. This marks the first time a UAE president has conducted a state visit to Germany, which also includes meetings with top German political leaders as part of a structured visit program in Berlin.
Sheikh Mohamed was accompanied by senior officials from the UAE involved in foreign affairs, trade, industry, defence, national security, and advanced technology. The delegation features Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Al Jaber. Also present were Foreign Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi and Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh. The UAE leader was joined by presidential advisors and other senior officials as preparations for high-level political and economic discussions between the two nations continued.
On Thursday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will host Sheikh Mohamed at Villa Borsig. The agenda includes meetings between the two presidents and deliberations involving their respective delegations. Later, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet Sheikh Mohamed at the Federal Chancellery. The official program indicates topics such as bilateral economic cooperation, strategic partnership, regional stability, and peace will be discussed, along with regional and international issues relevant to the state visit.
Trade and Economy Highlighted in Key Discussions
Diplomatic ties between the UAE and Germany began in 1972, with a strategic partnership formalized in 2004. The relationship encompasses political dialogue, investment, trade, and multi-sector collaboration. Estimates released prior to the visit suggest bilateral trade reached approximately 13.6 billion euros in 2025, reflecting an increase of nearly 15% compared to the previous year. About 2,000 German companies operate within the UAE, illustrating the depth of economic relations between the two countries.
Energy cooperation and technological collaboration also form core elements of their ongoing relationship. Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy firm Masdar holds a 49% stake in Germany’s Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm, which became fully operational in July 2025 and has a capacity of 476 megawatts, enough to power around 475,000 homes. Additionally, ADNOC and RWE, a German energy company, signed an agreement in February to explore liquefied natural gas supply possibilities for Germany and other European markets.
Recent Diplomatic Exchanges Set the Stage for the Visit
The visit builds upon recent exchanges, with Steinmeier’s agenda including formal discussions with Sheikh Mohamed prior to further talks involving delegations. The German president will also host a state banquet for the UAE leader on Thursday evening. Later in the day, Merz is scheduled to meet Sheikh Mohamed at the Chancellery. The German government emphasizes strengthening economic ties and deepening the strategic partnership, with trade, investment, and regional stability high on the agenda. These meetings continue the pattern of direct engagement, following Merz’s trip to the Gulf region in February, which included a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Mohamed’s previous visit to Germany in 2019, when he was Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, included meetings with Steinmeier and other officials. His current visit marks his inaugural state visit to Germany since assuming the presidency of the United Arab Emirates.
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