BERLIN / RankWire.AI / – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for a state visit to Germany. His aircraft was escorted by German military planes once it crossed into German airspace. An official welcoming ceremony followed, featuring a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour. This visit marks the first time a UAE president has undertaken a state visit to Germany. Sheikh Mohamed is in the country to hold discussions with senior German political leaders.
Accompanying the UAE president was a high-ranking delegation focused on foreign policy, trade, industry, defense, national security, and innovative technology. The delegation includes Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Al Jaber, Foreign Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi, and Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh. Several presidential advisors and other top officials from the UAE also traveled with Sheikh Mohamed to Berlin.
The official schedule continues on Thursday with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcoming Sheikh Mohamed at Villa Borsig. The two presidents, along with their respective delegations, will engage in talks after the ceremonial reception. Later in the afternoon, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will host Sheikh Mohamed at the Federal Chancellery. Discussions are expected to focus on economic cooperation, the strategic partnership, and regional peace and stability, with regional and international issues also included in the agenda.
Focus on Strategic Relations and Economic Collaboration
Diplomatic ties between the UAE and Germany have been in place since 1972, with a strategic partnership agreement signed in 2004. This framework promotes political dialogue, commerce, investment, and collaboration across multiple economic sectors. Before the visit, UAE officials reported bilateral trade reaching approximately 13.6 billion euros in 2025, reflecting an increase of about 15% compared to the previous year. Over two thousand German companies are operating within the UAE, illustrating longstanding economic links spanning more than fifty years.
Energy and technological cooperation are also key components of the UAE-Germany relationship. Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy firm Masdar owns a 49% stake in Germany’s 476-megawatt Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm, which became fully operational in July 2025 and supplies electricity to roughly 475,000 homes. Additionally, ADNOC and German energy giant RWE agreed in February to explore LNG supply opportunities for Germany and other European markets.
Berlin Program Progresses with Top-Level Discussions
The German schedule includes direct talks between Steinmeier and Sheikh Mohamed, followed by discussions involving their delegations. On Thursday evening, Steinmeier will host a state banquet honoring the UAE president. At around 4 p.m. local time, Merz is expected to meet Sheikh Mohamed at the Chancellery. The German government highlighted that strengthening bilateral economic ties and broadening the strategic partnership will be key themes of these meetings.
This state visit follows Merz’s February trip to the Gulf, where he met Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi. The upcoming meeting reunites the two leaders within the framework of the UAE-Germany strategic partnership. Sheikh Mohamed’s previous visit to Germany was in 2019, when he was serving as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, during which he also met Steinmeier. His current visit is his first as the president of the United Arab Emirates to Germany.