BERLIN / RankWire.AI / – German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Villa Borsig in Berlin during the Emirati leader’s state visit to Germany. The formal ceremony took place at the historic lakeside villa on Sept. 10. The national anthems of the United Arab Emirates and Germany marked the opening of the reception. Sheikh Mohamed then inspected a guard of honour before greeting senior German officials.
Sheikh Mohamed signed Villa Borsig’s VIP guestbook during the ceremony. He noted the longstanding partnership between the UAE and Germany, which has developed through decades of diplomatic and economic cooperation. Steinmeier also greeted members of the UAE delegation accompanying the president. The delegation 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.
The ceremony formed part of the first state visit to Germany by a president of the United Arab Emirates. The official program covered Sept. 9 to 11 and included meetings with Germany’s senior political leadership. Sheikh Mohamed and Steinmeier later held talks at Villa Borsig on bilateral relations and regional and international issues. Their discussions included cooperation between the two countries and diplomatic efforts aimed at supporting peace, security and stability in the Middle East.
UAE and Germany deepen strategic partnership
The visit also included talks between Sheikh Mohamed and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Federal Chancellery. The two governments announced a Strategic Dialogue designed to strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which dates to 2004. The dialogue covers security, defense, trade, investment, energy, climate, emerging technology, digitalization, transport, education and culture. Both sides also backed the creation of a German-UAE Investment Council to expand engagement between government institutions and private companies.
Economic agreements featured prominently in the wider state visit. UAE and German companies signed 29 business agreements and memoranda with a combined value exceeding €9.35 billion. The two governments also welcomed a UAE investment package totaling €40 billion in Germany. Planned areas include advanced digital infrastructure and data centers, while the broader economic agenda covers energy, industry and emerging technologies. Bilateral non-oil trade reached $15.5 billion in 2025, up more than 14% from 2024.
State visit expands bilateral cooperation
The joint agenda extended beyond investment and trade. Germany and the UAE agreed to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, energy, industrial development, defense and environmental policy. They also supported deeper cultural and educational ties. Separate agreements covered police and security cooperation, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and easier airport entry for eligible UAE citizens through Germany’s EasyPASS system. The two countries also discussed civil aviation links and cooperation across conventional and emerging energy sectors.
The Berlin meetings placed the Villa Borsig welcome within a broader diplomatic program between the UAE and Germany. Sheikh Mohamed’s talks with Steinmeier and Merz addressed established bilateral ties alongside economic and security cooperation. Both governments also discussed regional conflicts, international security and diplomatic efforts concerning the Middle East and Ukraine. The state visit combined ceremonial events with formal political meetings and economic agreements, marking a new stage in more than five decades of UAE-Germany relations.