Abu Dhabi: The strategic partnership between the UAE and Germany reached a new level on Tuesday as His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, arrived in Berlin on a two-day state visit.
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed’s visit follows an invitation by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
He held a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and was scheduled to meet Merkel.
The two sides will also discuss ways of boosting cooperation in various fields and a number of issues of mutual concern as well as the latest regional and international developments.
Shaikh Mohammad will also meet senior German officials and representatives of a number of major German companies.
Since the UAE and Germany established diplomatic relations in 1972, the countries have developed a strategic partnership built on cooperation and mutual respect that serves to consolidate stability in the region and promote international peace and security.
The two countries look forward to strengthening their relations and elevating them to higher levels in political fields, economic cooperation, energy, humanitarian assistance, culture, education, environment and climate change.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, told a news conference with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, on Sunday that the UAE and Germany have been united by a strategic partnership over the past 15 years.
“The UAE is Germany’s largest trading partner in the GCC region. Over 25 per cent of German trade with Arab countries is with the UAE,” Shaikh Abdullah said.
The trade volume between the two countries in 2018 reached $13.25 billion, with Germany exporting mostly aircraft, cars, machinery, electronics and chemical products to the UAE. German imports from the UAE are primarily aluminum and petrochemical products.
The UAE is home to 14,000 German expats and over 500,000 German tourists visited the country last year. The UAE also hosts 300 German companies.
In 2017, the UAE-German Energy Partnership was established as a platform for dialogue in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency.
Today, the UAE and Germany are both anchors of stability in their respective regions and are both multicultural, consensus-oriented and consultative societies.
Political cooperation
The UAE and Germany welcome the positive outcome of the appointment of two envoys.
The two countries intend to increase their dialogue and political consultations periodically. They will participate in international security forums such as the Munich Security Conference and the Sir Bani Yas Forum to be held from November 15-17 in Abu Dhabi. And the two sides also look forward to holding the fifth round of political consultations between the UAE and Germany.
Both parties stressed the importance of their joint commitment to combating terrorism and extremism at regional and international levels and both said they see terrorism and extremism as a threat to global peace, security and stability.
The two countries agree to unify efforts on counter-terrorism issues and exchange information and experience.
They emphasised the importance of activating the United Nations resolution 2462, which was sponsored by the UAE and Germany and was unanimously approved, which calls upon member states to take further steps to prevent and combat the financing of terrorism and hold accountable the sponsoring countries.
The two sides welcomed the joint cooperation between the two countries in the field of security, where the armed forces talks between the parties every 18 months, where the last consultations were held in Berlin last March .
Both the UAE and Germany are proud of their role in stabilising the region as well as positive contributions to international security.
The two parties gave particular importance to international law and to the system based on international norms and institutions as a means of addressing common challenges and achieving peaceful coexistence.
They also affirmed their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the international system, and called for enhanced efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, accountability and representation in the international multi-polar system and the establishment of more representative international institutions, including the Security Council.
Yemen
The UAE and Germany call for resolving the Yemeni crisis through diplomatic channels, taking into account the Gulf initiative and implementation mechanism, the results of Yemen’s national dialogue conference and all UN Security Council resolutions.
They emphasise the importance of implementing the Stockholm Agreement in accordance with Security Council resolutions 2451 and 2452, supporting Martin Griffiths’ continuing efforts in this regard.
The two parties affirm the need for unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance and the implementation of international law and humanitarian principles.
Iran
Both the UAE and Germany express their concern about the growing tensions in the region and called on Iran to play a constructive role and refrain from any steps that might escalate the existing crisis.
Germany expressed support to the European position that the nuclear agreement is an important step to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, and is concerned about Iranian ballistic missile activities, which are contrary to Security Council resolution 2231.
The UAE and Germany call on Iran to cease these activities and to fully respect all UN resolutions related to the transfer of weapons and technology to non-governmental organisations in the region.
They reaffirm the urgent need for all actors in the region to refrain from any actions that would escalate existing tensions.
Libya
Both UAE and Germany believe that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Libya and that the political framework of UN envoy Ghassan Salamah is the best option to overcome the current political crisis.
They share the view that a ceasefire is essential and extremely important, and prevention of escalation is important for stability and is a priority for the international community at large.
Expo 2020: German pavilion to cover 4,500 square metres
Germany will have a significant participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai, where the total cost of its pavilion at the international exhibition is about €50 million and covers an area of 4,500 square metres. The pavilion will be one of the largest pavilions of countries participating in the international event and provides visitors with a journey of knowledge towards sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai’s visitors will have a unique experience in the ‘Campus Germany’ pavilion. The pavilion will feature a ‘modular’ design in a campus consisting of separate units intersecting in a spacious lobby with a theatre and restaurant, creating a stunning artistic representation of the main concept of the pavilion.
Designed to be a destination for knowledge, research, and communication, the pavilion will provide an interactive, tailor-made experience for each visitor while reviewing the latest German innovations in various fields of technology and science.
Germany is one of the most important strategic partners of the UAE in the field of health and therapeutic tourism as the two countries seek to boost bilateral relations in various fields, including deepening cooperation between the UAE Health and Prevention Ministry and the German Federal Ministry of Health.
