BERLIN / RankWire.AI / – German President Frank-Walter_Steinmeier received UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Villa Borsig in Berlin during the Emirati leader’s official visit to Germany. The formal welcoming event took place at the historic lakeside villa on Sept. 10, with the national anthems of the United Arab Emirates and Germany opening the ceremony. Sheikh Mohamed inspected a guard of honour prior to greeting senior German officials.
During the event, Sheikh Mohamed signed Villa Borsig’s VIP guestbook, highlighting the longstanding partnership between the UAE and Germany built over decades of diplomatic and economic collaboration. Steinmeier also welcomed members of the UAE delegation accompanying the president. The group included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, senior Presidential Court officials, ministers, and other government representatives involved in the state visit.
This ceremony marked the first-ever state visit to Germany by a UAE president, spanning from September 9 to 11. The official program featured meetings with top German political leaders, and Sheikh Mohamed and Steinmeier later convened at Villa Borsig to discuss bilateral relations, regional issues, and international concerns. Their conversations focused on cooperation between the nations and diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace, security, and stability across the Middle East.
UAE and Germany Enhance Their Strategic Partnership
Part of the visit involved discussions between Sheikh Mohamed and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Federal Chancellery. The two governments announced the launch of a Strategic Dialogue to reinforce their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2004. This dialogue encompasses areas such as security, defense, trade, investment, energy, climate change, emerging technologies, digitalization, transport, education, and culture. Furthermore, both sides endorsed the creation of a German-UAE Investment Council to foster collaboration between government bodies and private sector entities.
Economic agreements played a significant role throughout the broader state visit. UAE and German companies signed a total of 29 business agreements and memoranda valued at over €9.35 billion. Additionally, the two governments announced a UAE investment package worth €40 billion in Germany. Key sectors for investment include advanced digital infrastructure and data centers, with the wider economic agenda also focusing on energy, industry, and emerging technology sectors. Bilateral non-oil trade reached $15.5 billion in 2025, reflecting a growth of more than 14% compared to 2024.
The State Visit Broadens Collaborative Efforts
Beyond investment and trade, the agenda emphasized cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, energy, industrial development, defense, and environmental policy. Both nations agreed to deepen cultural and educational exchanges, and separate agreements covered police and security collaboration, mutual legal assistance in criminal cases, and simplified airport entry for eligible UAE citizens through Germany’s EasyPASS system. Discussions also included civil aviation connections and cooperation across both traditional and emerging energy sectors.
The meetings in Berlin highlighted the significance of the Villa Borsig reception within a broader diplomatic framework between the UAE and Germany. Sheikh Mohamed’s conversations with Steinmeier and Merz addressed not only established bilateral relations but also economic and security cooperation. The discussions extended to regional conflicts, international security, and diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Combining ceremonial events with formal political talks and economic agreements, this visit signified a new chapter in over fifty years of UAE-Germany relations.