The bilateral ties between the UAE and Germany have progressed significantly since the establishment of their relations in May 1972. Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, visited Germany several times and formed a close relationship with the European nation, as a result of which the two countries established a strategic partnership in 2004.

in 2019, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, visited Germany to mark the 15th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. With this visit, he also enhanced the UAE-Germany ties to a new level. During his visit to Berlin, Mohammad Bin Zayed signed a joint statement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel setting the framework for future cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking to Gulf News, Ernst Peter Fischer, Germany’s Ambassador to the UAE, said that both countries embrace future trends with high ambitions. On being asked about the current relations between Germany and the UAE, he said that there are many fields including smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation, in which both the UAE and Germany can strengthen their cooperation.

"The Emirati-German task force on the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) was launched in July this year and will serve as a networking forum to leverage links between businesses, R&D bodies, academics and government bodies in the field of technology, digital connectivity and artificial intelligence," he said in a special mention.

When asked about the focus areas in strengthening the relationship between Germany and the UAE, he said that the two countries signed an energy partnership in 2017, which resulted in several high-level and working-level visits, conferences, seminars and studies around energy efficiency, renewable energy, and new technologies. He further spoke about the need for a green recovery in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic along with increasing the role of energy partnership between the two nations.

Besides economy, Ernst Peter Fischer highlighted that there are three German schools in the UAE, adding that 2019 saw the first Emirati graduating from the German International School in Abu Dhabi with Abitur. The Goethe-Institut in Abu Dhabi, along with several schools, is supporting the efforts to bridge the cultural gap between the two countries among the future generations. Furthermore, Germany has been invited as the guest of honour at the 2021 edition of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The Ambassador also underlined Germany and the UAE have been holding discussions on various areas of international politics, reminding about the recent exchange of views between the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and policy planning departments of the Federal Foreign Office.

UAE-Germany trade relations

Fischer noted that the UAE is the most important trading partner for Germany in the Middle East. In 2019, Germany's exports to the UAE were valued at $9.7 billion (Dh35.6 billion), while its imports from the UAE reached about $1.2 billion. He stated that aluminium products are one of the main exports of the UAE to Germany, while motor vehicles, electrical goods, and machinery are among the main exports of Germany to the UAE.

At the same time, Germany has been one of the most preferred travel destinations for UAE residents for both leisure and health reasons. In the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic, Germany's tourism sector has been facing enormous difficulties. Speaking about the resumption of tourism activities in Germany for international tourists, the Ambassador stressed on observing patience and helping the authorities in preventing the spread of the virus in the country.

"The UAE and Germany have been reacting quite effectively so far and I am convinced that we will manage to re-establish tourism between our two countries again and even stronger, once the pandemic is under control," he added.

He was further asked about the German community living in the UAE. Responding to the question, Ernst Peter Fischer said that the German community in the UAE plays a crucial role in boosting the bilateral relations between the two countries. He asserted that the UAE has become a second home for Germans living in the country, adding that the German community feels even safer and confident to live in the country after the imposition of preventive measures by the UAE authorities to contain the spread of the virus.

"Before the outbreak of the pandemic, about 15,000 Germans lived in the UAE and to our knowledge not too many of them have left the UAE so far," Fischer said.

The UAE witnessed several visits of high-ranking political delegations from Germany at the beginning of 2020 on various occasions including the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and World Urban Forum, as well as at key exhibitions such as Arab Health and Gulf Food. However, since the pandemic outbreak, travel has come to a standstill, making it difficult for German delegations to visit the UAE.

Nevertheless, Fischer added that German political leaders have continued to enhance close cooperation between the two countries virtually and via phone. Over the past few months, German Federal Chancellor Merkel and Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed have interacted over the telephone a number of times.

In August, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited Abu Dhabi and held a series of in-depth discussions with Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, underpinning high-level bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

On being asked about the German embassy's plans to mark their National Day this year, Fischer said that they will not be able to hold celebratory receptions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this year due to the ongoing pandemic. However, celebrations will take place virtually. He went on to invite everyone to join the celebration of the German-Emirati relations through a virtual journey.

"I would hereby like to invite everyone to join us on this virtual journey through the history, the present and the future of German-Emirati relations, today at 6 pm on the Facebook page of the German Embassy. I don’t want to reveal too much about the event, but I can promise you some great impressions and perspectives you might have not known about yet," he added.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, is the guest of honour for the occasion, who will be sharing his thoughts on the progressing relations between Germany and the UAE.

In addition, Holger Mahnicke, Germany’s Consul General in Dubai, shared the details of consular responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts taken by his team to help the community during the crisis.

He said that the COVID-19 crisis changed the focus of work for the German Consulate General in Dubai from Expo 2020 to the pandemic response. Since the suspension of international flights and closure of UAE airports in the UAE from March 25, the consulate has been ensuring efforts to repatriate German citizens stranded in the UAE and in the transit areas of the airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

"We organised three repatriation flights in close cooperation with German tour operators and were about to conclude preparations of a repatriation flight with the German government, when Emirates Airlines started to offer one-way flights to Frankfurt earlier in April," he added.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the embassy was able to provide all possible services to both the German community in Dubai as well as Emiratis in need of an exemption from the travel restrictions. He also noted that if infection rates continue to rise, entry restrictions and travel warnings will not be lifted. Holger Mahnicke further expressed hope that the Expo in Dubai net year will be interesting, adding that the German pavilion (Campus Germany) will focus on the sub-theme of sustainability.

"Germany has a reputation for having produced scores of new ideas and approaches in this area. Germany’s energy revolution, the Energiewende, has even become a global benchmark. The pavilion is organised like a university where you start with the enrolment and finish with a graduation. The major idea is to get all visitors engaged with a number of interactive exhibits, including through special displays for children. A highlight will be our Nation Day at the Expo, scheduled for November 29, 2021, just a few days before the golden jubilee of the UAE," Mahnicke added.