Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, along with his roles at ADNOC and its subsidiaries, conducted an official visit to Berlin, Germany, to explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
During his visit, he held several high-level meetings with top government officials and business leaders, accompanied by Ahmed Al Attar, the UAE Ambassador to Germany.
Among his discussions, he met with Dr. Johan David Vadefoul, the German Foreign Minister, and Serap Güler, Secretary of State at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they examined pathways to enhance bilateral relations and collaborative efforts.
Both sides emphasized the significance of the strategic relationship between their nations and the need to explore new avenues for cooperation in various priority areas. This includes strengthening economic and diplomatic ties through joint efforts aimed at achieving sustainable economic development in both countries.
The visit’s agenda also included a meeting with Dr. Katarina Reich, the Minister of Economics and Energy, where updates on bilateral relations and strategic initiatives were discussed, particularly focusing on the UAE-Germany energy partnership established in 2017.
They deliberated on expanding cooperation in sectors such as energy, renewable resources, manufacturing, infrastructure, investment, trade, health, and tourism, while also enhancing support for the private sector and fostering a business-friendly environment.
Both parties affirmed the necessity of developing partnerships in these vital sectors, viewing them as essential pillars for sustainable development and economic growth.
Dr. Al Jaber also held bilateral meetings with Torsten Frey, Head of the Federal Chancellery and Minister of State for Special Tasks, Dr. Levin Hohele, Director General of Economic, Financial, and Climate Policies at the Federal Chancellery, and Hendrik Wüst, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia. Discussions focused on bolstering cooperation in prioritized areas, aiming to expand trade and industrial collaboration to foster sustainable development.
He further met with Dr. Volker Treier, CEO of Foreign Trade and Executive Board Member of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), discussing ways to enhance institutional cooperation to support the business community and broaden trade and investment partnerships.
Meetings also included several chairpersons of parliamentary committees within the German Bundestag, such as the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Economic Affairs Committee. They explored avenues to strengthen collaboration and expand bilateral partnership in light of the growing strategic relationship between the two friendly nations, while underscoring the importance of parliamentary roles in promoting political and economic cooperation, along with providing legislative frameworks for integration across prioritized sectors.
Notably, the value of non-oil bilateral trade between the two nations reached approximately 50 billion dirhams (13.6 billion USD) in 2024, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. This growth is largely attributed to a significant 43% rise in UAE exports, fueled by a 112.5% increase in precious metals and pearls, as well as an 85% rise in machinery and equipment, alongside a 6% growth in imports.
Trade between the UAE and Germany saw remarkable growth of 17.7% during the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, with UAE exports rising by 77% and imports increasing by 16%. The surge is primarily driven by exports of pearls, precious metals, and machinery, which have quadrupled during this timeframe.