German Federal Chancellor

09/10/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/11/2026 03:36

Closer cooperation with the United Arab Emirates

Federal Chancellor Merz and Sheikh Bin Zayed wish to strengthen cooperation between Germany and the United Arab Emirates.

Photo: Federal Government/Jesco Denzel

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, to the Federal Chancellery. In a Joint Declaration, they emphasised the keen interest of both sides in increased cooperation, characterised by shared commitments to peace, security, economic prosperity and sustainable development, for example.

Here you will find the Joint Declaration on the occasion of the State Visit of the President of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Both sides also agreed to establish a strategic dialogue with the aim of strengthening cooperation both in the field of foreign policy and in areas such as the economy, energy and the environment. This underlines the goal of giving fresh impetus to the Strategic Partnership between Germany and the United Arab Emirates, which was agreed in April 2004. The Federal Chancellor and Sheikh Bin Zayed emphasise their determination to work together to uphold international order.

An investment package totalling 40 billion euros

Both politicians welcomed the announcement of an investment package by the United Arab Emirates totalling 40 billion euros in Germany. The package includes investment in advanced digital infrastructure, including the construction of new, state-of-the-art data centres. At the same time, it was announced that 29 memoranda of understanding and agreements had been signed between companies from the United Arab Emirates and German companies, with a total value of more than 9.3 billion euros. In the future, there are also plans to establish a German-Emirati Investment Council. It will serve as a platform for promoting investment and strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors.

During the visit to the Federal Chancellor, further memoranda of understanding were also agreed. There are plans for increased cooperation in the fields of defence and defence technology. The long-standing cooperation in many areas of the energy sector is to be further strengthened through partnerships between leading companies on both sides.

The United Arab Emirates is Germany's most important trading partner in the Gulf. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed is in Berlin on a state visit at the invitation of the Federal President.

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