UAE Germany Investment Council plans are set to strengthen the long-term economic and strategic partnership between the United Arab Emirates and Germany, with the UAE proposing a dedicated platform to mobilise capital, identify investment opportunities and address barriers facing businesses.
Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, and the UAE’s Special Envoy to Germany, outlined the proposal in an opinion article published by German business and financial newspaper Handelsblatt.
Al Jaber said the UAE views Germany as a key destination for industry and technology and believes the two countries can build on their strong economic foundations to create new opportunities for long-term growth.
The proposed German-Emirati Investment Council is expected to provide a structured mechanism for businesses and investors from both countries to identify projects, mobilise long-term capital and strengthen economic cooperation across priority sectors.
Bilateral trade reaches €13.6 billion
The proposal comes as economic ties between the UAE and Germany continue to expand.
According to Al Jaber, bilateral trade between the two countries reached approximately €13.6 billion in 2025, representing a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year.
UAE exports to Germany recorded particularly strong growth, rising by 58 per cent, highlighting the increasing momentum in trade between the two economies.
Al Jaber said few economic relationships are currently developing with the same level of dynamism, underscoring the potential for the UAE and Germany to expand cooperation beyond traditional trade.
The growing relationship is also reflected in investment flows. The UAE has already invested more than €34 billion in Germany, while more than 2,000 German companies operate in the UAE.
These figures provide a substantial foundation for expanding cooperation in industrial production, technology, infrastructure, energy and other strategic areas.
Investment council to mobilise long-term capital
A central element of the proposed partnership is the establishment of the German-Emirati Investment Council.
The council is expected to focus on three key areas: mobilising long-term investment capital, identifying commercially viable investment opportunities and helping remove barriers that could prevent businesses from expanding their activities between the two countries.
Such a mechanism could give investors and companies a more coordinated platform for developing major projects and strengthening existing partnerships.
The initiative also reflects the UAE’s broader strategy of building international economic partnerships around sectors considered critical to future growth, industrial competitiveness and economic resilience.
For Germany, closer cooperation with the UAE could provide access to additional sources of investment and strengthen ties with one of the Middle East’s leading financial and commercial centres.
For the UAE, Germany offers access to a major European industrial economy with established capabilities in manufacturing, engineering, technology, research and innovation.
Focus on advanced manufacturing and technology
The UAE is expected to direct further investment towards Germany’s advanced industrial and technology sectors.
Potential areas highlighted by Al Jaber include advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, healthcare, life sciences and agritech.
The focus on these industries reflects the changing nature of the UAE-Germany economic relationship, with both countries seeking opportunities that extend beyond conventional trade.
Advanced manufacturing is expected to remain a key area of cooperation as companies look to develop resilient supply chains and introduce new technologies into industrial production.
Digital technologies and artificial intelligence could also become increasingly important as businesses in both countries invest in automation, data infrastructure and next-generation digital services.
Healthcare and life sciences represent another area with significant potential, particularly as demand grows for advanced medical technologies, research capabilities and innovative healthcare solutions.
Agritech could provide additional opportunities for cooperation by combining German engineering and technological expertise with the UAE’s experience in developing innovative solutions for food security and agricultural production in challenging climatic conditions.
Energy remains a strategic priority
Energy security is another important component of the growing partnership.
Al Jaber highlighted examples of existing UAE investments in Germany, including the UAE’s involvement in Covestro and Masdar’s Baltic Eagle offshore wind project.
These investments demonstrate the UAE’s interest in supporting Germany’s industrial base while contributing to energy security and economic growth.
The Baltic Eagle project, in particular, reflects the potential for cooperation in renewable energy and the wider energy transition.
The UAE has increasingly positioned itself as an international investor in energy infrastructure and emerging technologies, while Germany is pursuing efforts to strengthen energy security and expand renewable energy capacity.
Greater cooperation could therefore create opportunities across conventional energy, renewable power, industrial decarbonisation and emerging energy technologies.
UAE seeks greater German investment
While the proposed council is designed to encourage UAE investment in Germany, Al Jaber also called for greater participation by German companies in the UAE.
German businesses are being encouraged to invest, develop and manufacture in the UAE and use the country as a platform to access wider markets.
The UAE’s geographic position provides companies with access to markets across the Gulf, Asia and Africa, while its infrastructure, logistics capabilities and business environment can support companies seeking regional expansion.
For German manufacturers and technology companies, establishing operations in the UAE could therefore provide a base from which to serve customers across several rapidly developing markets.
The presence of more than 2,000 German companies in the UAE already demonstrates the depth of the commercial relationship.
The next phase could involve expanding manufacturing, research, technology development and regional headquarters activities.
Building stronger supply chains
The UAE-Germany partnership is also being positioned as part of a wider effort to strengthen economic resilience.
Global disruptions in recent years have increased the importance of reliable supply chains, diversified sources of investment and closer cooperation between strategic economic partners.
The proposed investment council could help businesses identify opportunities to develop stronger supply-chain links between Europe, the Middle East and other international markets.
Cooperation in advanced manufacturing, technology, energy and healthcare could be particularly important in creating more resilient industrial ecosystems.
The partnership could also support innovation by connecting German industrial expertise with UAE investment capacity and the country’s growing focus on advanced technology.
A partnership extending beyond trade
Al Jaber’s proposal signals that the UAE and Germany increasingly see their relationship as extending beyond conventional commercial exchanges.
The existing trade and investment relationship provides a foundation, but the proposed investment council is intended to create a framework for deeper strategic cooperation.
The two countries can potentially work together on industrial development, innovation, energy security, technology adoption and supply-chain resilience while creating new opportunities for companies and investors.
The UAE’s substantial investments in Germany, combined with the large German business presence in the UAE, demonstrate that both economies already have significant commercial links.
The challenge now is to expand those links into new sectors and larger long-term projects.
State visit marks a new phase
The investment council proposal comes during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s state visit to Germany, giving the initiative additional political and economic significance.
The visit is being positioned as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties and establish a broader framework for future cooperation.
The proposed council could become an important vehicle for translating political commitments into concrete investment opportunities and commercial projects.
By bringing together investors, companies and policymakers, the mechanism could help identify areas where capital and expertise can be deployed most effectively.
For Germany, stronger UAE investment could support industrial development and strategic sectors at a time when European economies are seeking greater investment in technology, infrastructure and energy.
For the UAE, closer cooperation with Germany could accelerate access to advanced technologies, industrial capabilities and European markets.
Long-term economic partnership
The UAE Germany Investment Council proposal reflects a broader shift towards long-term economic partnerships built around investment, innovation and strategic industries.
With bilateral trade reaching €13.6 billion in 2025, UAE investment in Germany exceeding €34 billion and more than 2,000 German companies operating in the UAE, the two economies already have a substantial commercial relationship.
The next stage is expected to focus on increasing the scale and depth of that cooperation.
Advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, healthcare, life sciences, agritech and energy are likely to remain among the key areas for future investment.
The UAE and Germany are also seeking to strengthen supply chains, accelerate innovation and improve energy security while creating opportunities for businesses in both markets.
Al Jaber’s proposal for an investment council could therefore provide a formal platform for turning the existing economic relationship into a deeper industrial and technology partnership.
As both countries look towards future growth, the emphasis is increasingly moving from trade volumes alone towards investment, industrial cooperation, technological innovation and economic resilience. The proposed council could play a central role in shaping that next phase of UAE-Germany relations.
