UAE, Germany explore ways to expand cooperation across key sectors

The UAE and Germany have underscored the importance of public-private sector partnerships in key sectors and explored ways to enhance cooperation in energy, water technology, mobility, digital infrastructure and space.

It comes after Badr Jafar, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business & Philanthropy, held a series of meetings with senior business leaders and institutional representatives in Düsseldorf and Munich during his official working visit to Germany.

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.

"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," highlighted Jafar. "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."

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.

It comes as the UAE and the EU continue to advance discussions toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), aimed at deepening trade, investment, and cooperation across strategic sectors. 

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.

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 per cent 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.