UAE Pledges €40 Billion Investment in Germany as Leaders Deepen Ties
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz oversaw a €40 billion investment pledge and 29 corporate deals worth over €9.4 billion.
The United Arab Emirates has committed to investing €40 billion in Germany, a pledge announced after talks between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during the UAE leader's state visit to Berlin.
The figure is in addition to the UAE's existing investments in Germany, which are valued at €34 billion. The new package is aimed at reinforcing Germany's industrial competitiveness and supporting long-term growth in Europe's largest economy.
In a joint declaration, the two leaders described the visit as coming at a defining moment for both countries and for the wider international order. They pointed to heightened regional and geopolitical volatility and stressed the value of dependable, like-minded partners, affirming their intent to stand together in support of the international order.
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE's Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and its envoy to Germany, said Germany had been an important strategic and economic partner for decades, adding that the new investment reflected the UAE's ambition to build on that relationship in the years ahead.
The investment programme covers digital infrastructure, including new data centres with a capacity of roughly 1 gigawatt. Germany said it would work to create a favourable environment for these projects to be carried out.
Beyond investment, the two sides plan to expand cooperation in security, defence, trade and energy. Merz and Sheikh Mohamed also welcomed the signing of 29 agreements between UAE and German companies, with a combined value exceeding €9.4 billion, and said further corporate investment is expected.
In aviation, Germany has granted Emirates additional traffic rights, clearing the airline to run a regular service between Berlin and Dubai. Brandenburg, the state where Berlin's airport is located, welcomed the decision, while German carrier Lufthansa criticised it.
The visit follows Merz's trip to the Gulf region in February, part of Berlin's push to broaden energy and defence partnerships and lessen its reliance on the United States and China.
In their joint declaration, the leaders restated their positions on the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, including condemnation of Iran's attacks in the region and of disruptions to trade through the Strait of Hormuz.