Overview
- The UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed began a two‑day state visit to Germany on Thursday and was received by President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier with military honours before meeting Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- Leaders issued a joint declaration announcing a €40 billion Emirati investment package, the creation of a German‑Emirati investment council and a strategic dialogue to expand cooperation on foreign policy, energy, defence and digital infrastructure.
- Officials and companies reported 29 letters of intent and company agreements worth about €9.3 billion, including plans for roughly 1‑gigawatt of new high‑capacity data centres and energy and hydrogen projects.
- Berlin enforced extensive security measures for the visit — roughly 1,300 police, road closures, sealed manholes, hotel cordons and the clearing of a homeless encampment — and the Berlin Senate said Emirates will receive additional landing rights to begin a daily BER–Dubai service, drawing criticism from Lufthansa and unions.
- Human‑rights groups and unions protested the visit, citing allegations that the UAE supports the RSF in Sudan and warning that closer defence and technology ties could strain Germany's human‑rights credibility; further business signings and a Munich forum are scheduled to conclude the visit on Friday.