Political relations

Since 1972, Germany has maintained diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and is accorded privileged partner status. A strategic partnership was agreed upon, in april 2004, reflecting the intention of the two governments to step up relations in the political sphere as well as maintaining extensive trade relations. Two visits by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in two years and numerous visits by German federal ministers, most recently those of Economics Minister Glos (5/6 May 2006) and Foreign Minister Steinmeier (22/23 May 2006), have fostered a favourable climate for close cooperation. Relations are friendly.

Economic relations

The UAE is Germany's leading economic partner in the Arab world. German exports amounting to EUR 4.31 billion (+ 21%) made 2005 another successful year. Foreign trade with the UAE has evidently been held back only slightly by the strong euro and tops the overall trend in German exports. For German foreign trade, the UAE is roughly as important as Hong Kong or Singapore.
About 500 German companies operate in the UAE, about 150 of these in Abu Dhabi and some 250 in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. German businesses have joined to form the German Business Councils Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Germany and the UAE have signed air transport and double taxation accords as well as an agreement on promoting and protecting investments.
All three pillars of export trade promotion are in place: in Dubai, the Delegate of German Industry and Commerce (branch office in Abu Dhabi), the correspondent of the German Office of Foreign Trade (BfAI) and the German Consulate General, and in Abu Dhabi the German Embassy.

Cultural relations

Stepping up cultural relations is another objective of the strategic partnership. Germany has a very good reputation in training, particularly medicine and the engineering sciences. Agreement has already been reached on exchanging more students and German cooperation in setting up facilities for vocational and technical education. In May 2006, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Goethe Institute both opened regional offices for the Gulf States in Abu Dhabi.