Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) maintain intensive diplomatic relations. The strategic partnership agreed in April 2004 is evidence of this. In September 2022, during his visit to the United Arab Emirates, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President of the UAE Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to revitalise this strategic partnership.

In 2022, the Emirates were once again Germany’s most important business partner in the region, with a bilateral trade volume of nearly 9.8 billion euro. German imports from the UAE rose by 159% in 2022 due to an increase in shipments of aluminium. In the first half of 2023, trade between the two countries was worth 8.3 billion euro, with a 479% increase in imports.

Some 1200 German companies have offices in the UAE, many of which serve as headquarters for the entire region, including (parts of) Africa and Asia. The German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce (AHK), which has a head office in Dubai as well as an office in Abu Dhabi and supports bilateral trade, celebrated its 25th anniversary in June. In November 2021, the energy partnership between Germany and the United Arab Emirates to promote cooperation in the area of renewable energies was expanded into an energy and climate partnership.

Bilateral cultural cooperation is extensive. The Goethe-Institut has operated a regional office in Abu Dhabi since 2006 and a language training centre in Dubai since 2007. There are officially recognised German schools abroad in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai. There are 20 cooperation projects between universities and academic institutions in the two countries.

Germany was the Guest of Honour at the 31st International Book Fair in Abu Dhabi in 2021.