BERLIN / RankWire.AI / – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for an official state visit to Germany. After the presidential aircraft crossed into national airspace, it was escorted by German military planes. Sheikh Mohamed was greeted with a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour. This visit marks the first time a UAE president has made a state visit to Germany. It also involves meetings with Germany’s leading political figures during a structured program in Berlin.
Sheikh Mohamed was accompanied by senior UAE officials responsible for foreign affairs, trade, industry, defence, national security, and advanced technology. The delegation includes Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Al Jaber. Foreign Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi and Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh also took part in the visit. Senior officials and presidential advisers traveled with the UAE leader as both nations prepared for high-level diplomatic and economic discussions.
Scheduled to meet at Villa Borsig on Thursday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will host Sheikh Mohamed. Their discussion will include talks between the two presidents as well as exchanges involving their delegations. Later, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will welcome Sheikh Mohamed at the Federal Chancellery. The official agenda, according to Germany’s government, emphasizes bilateral economic cooperation, the strategic alliance, and regional peace and stability. The official program also covers regional and international developments relevant to the state visit.
Trade and economic cooperation form the core of high-level discussions
Diplomatic relations between the UAE and Germany were established in 1972, with a strategic partnership formalized in 2004. This relationship encompasses political dialogue, investment, trade, and collaboration across numerous sectors. Prior to the visit, UAE officials indicated bilateral trade reached approximately 13.6 billion euros in 2025, showing an increase of about 15% from the previous year. Around 2,000 German firms operate within the UAE, highlighting the depth of economic ties between the two countries.
Energy and technological collaboration are also significant components of their relationship. Abu Dhabi’s 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 supply electricity to roughly 475,000 homes. Additionally, ADNOC and German energy giant RWE agreed in February to explore possibilities for liquefied natural gas supply to Germany and other European markets.
Recent exchanges underpin the Berlin visit
Steinmeier’s itinerary includes formal discussions with Sheikh Mohamed, followed by further talks with their respective delegations. The German president will also host a state banquet for the UAE leader on Thursday evening. Later, Merz is scheduled to meet Sheikh Mohamed at the Chancellery in the afternoon. The German government highlights strengthening economic ties and expanding the strategic partnership as primary objectives of the visit. The meetings are expected to focus on trade, investment, and regional issues.
This state visit follows Merz’s trip to the Gulf region in February, during which he met Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi. Their current engagement continues the ongoing dialogue between the UAE and German leadership. Sheikh Mohamed previously visited Germany in 2019 while serving as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, where he met Steinmeier and other officials. His current visit is his first state visit to Germany since becoming the UAE’s president.
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