Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) maintain intensive diplomatic relations. The strategic partnership agreed in April 2004 is evidence of this. Furthermore, the energy partnership between Germany and the UAE for the promotion of cooperation in the area of renewable energies was expanded into an energy and climate partnership in November 2021.

The visit to Abu Dhabi by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz in February 2026 further intensified relations between Germany and the UAE. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul’s trip to Abu Dhabi immediately after the outbreak of the Iran war was an expression of Germany’s solidarity. In this context, the UAE was a reliable partner in securing the departure of over 30,000 German tourists.

In 2025, the UAE was once again Germany’s most important economic partner in the region, with a bilateral trade volume of more than 6.2 billion euro in the first half of the year alone. German imports from the UAE rose by 50% in 2025.

Some 2000 German companies have offices in the UAE, many of them covering the entire region, including (parts of) Africa and Asia. The German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce (AHK) has its head office in Dubai as well as an office in Abu Dhabi and supports bilateral trade. It also houses a Competence Center for German Export Finance, a point of contact for agriculture, Germany Trade & Invest, the German National Tourist Board and the trade representations of Hamburg and Bavaria. The federal state of Baden-Württemberg has a separate representation.

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. In addition, there are 20 cooperation projects between universities and academic institutions in the two countries.

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