9:43 am - February 14, 2026
**North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany**: UAE Minister Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi met NRW’s Minister-President to strengthen trade and cooperation in technology, green energy, and manufacturing. Non-oil bilateral trade rose 41% since 2022, highlighting expanding economic ties and investment flows between the UAE and Germany.
Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, the United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Trade, held significant discussions with Hendrik Josef Wüst, the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, focusing on deepening trade ties and cooperation in strategic sectors including technology, advanced manufacturing, and the green economy.
The talks took place recently in NRW, one of Germany’s most economically influential states. North Rhine-Westphalia plays a pivotal role in Germany’s economy, contributing approximately $990 billion to the national GDP in 2024, which constitutes around 20% of the country’s total economic output. The region hosts 37 of Germany’s top 100 corporations and, while traditionally an industrial centre, NRW is shifting its economic focus toward digital technologies, artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and environmental sustainability through ventures in water management and agri-tech.
Following the official meeting, a business roundtable was convened, bringing together leading private sector representatives from both NRW and the UAE. The aim was to explore mutual benefits and partnership opportunities that could grow economic collaboration further.
Dr Thani highlighted the natural synergies between the UAE and NRW, especially given their shared emphasis on innovation and clean energy. He said: “The United Arab Emirates has long enjoyed a positive and productive relationship with Germany, and North Rhine-Westphalia, with its industrial heritage and forward-looking vision, has been central to it. From the digital economy to energy transition and the green economy, we see a multitude of avenues for cooperation and investment, while our free-trade network can ensure the region’s industrial output can seamlessly reach key markets in Asia and Africa.”
He also underscored the UAE’s openness as a business environment for NRW enterprises seeking to expand in the Middle East and contribute to the development of the UAE’s industrial and innovation ecosystems. “Today’s meeting with HE Wüst and the subsequent business roundtable will help create the networks that can facilitate this activity, and we remain on hand to support bilateral trade and investment flows in the months and years ahead,” Dr Thani remarked.
The economic relationship between the UAE and Germany remains robust and burgeoning. In 2024, non-oil trade between the two countries reached $13.8 billion, up 5.4% from 2023. The UAE also holds over $1.2 billion in committed investments across Germany. Germany is the UAE’s second-largest trade partner within the European Union and ranks 13th globally. Recently, the UAE announced plans to begin negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, reinforcing the importance of Germany as a trading partner.
Earlier in February 2024, the UAE and Germany further reinforced their economic partnership by hosting the UAE-German Business Forum in Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi Global Market. This high-level event drew senior government officials, industry leaders, and private sector figures from both nations to explore opportunities in sectors such as clean energy, finance, industrial technology, and logistics, with a shared focus on sustainability and innovation.
Among the key figures attending were Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Germany’s Finance Minister Dr Jörg Kukies, UAE Ambassador to Germany Ahmed Alattar, and German Ambassador to the UAE Alexander Schönfelder, alongside prominent business leaders.
The forum highlighted progress made under the Energy Security and Industry Accelerator Agreement signed in 2022, which has catalysed investments in low-carbon ammonia, liquefied natural gas, and renewable projects like Masdar’s Baltic Eagle offshore wind farm in Germany. This project is expected soon to supply green electricity to 475,000 German households.
Additionally, the discussions shed light on Germany’s growing investments in the UAE’s advanced sectors, including technology, artificial intelligence, and industrial automation. These developments benefit from the UAE’s NextGen Foreign Direct Investment initiative, designed to attract high-growth companies expanding their operations into the region.
Trade figures underscore the deepening economic ties: in 2024, UAE non-oil exports to Germany surged by 44.7% to $616 million, while re-exports reached $1.1 billion. Meanwhile, German imports to the UAE rose to $12.1 billion, reinforcing Germany’s status as the UAE’s second-largest import partner in the EU. Overall, non-oil bilateral trade between the two countries has grown by 41% since 2022, indicating a strong upward trajectory in commercial and investment relations.
These high-level engagements and expanding economic connections between the UAE and Germany illustrate the importance both nations place on fostering cooperation in emerging and traditional industries, leveraging shared expertise and strategic geographic positioning. Both sides continue to explore new avenues for collaboration in pursuit of mutual growth in the global economy.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/dr-thani-al-zeyoudi-meets-pm-of-germanys-north-rhine-westphalia-region – Confirms Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi’s discussions with Hendrik Wüst on enhancing UAE-NRW trade relations.
- https://www.gulftoday.ae/business/2025/04/27/uae-germany-seek-stronger-trade-relations-in-key-sectors – Corroborates the focus on technology, advanced manufacturing, and green economy collaboration during the UAE-NRW talks.
- https://thefinanceworld.com/uae-and-germany-to-enhance-strong-trade-ties/ – Supports the strategic economic partnership discussions between UAE and NRW officials.
- https://thefinanceworld.com/uae-and-germany-expand-strategic-economic-partnership/ – Validates the emphasis on technology, smart manufacturing, and green initiatives in UAE-Germany cooperation.
- https://www.instagram.com/p/DI4PCG-TAe_/ – Provides additional evidence of the business roundtable following official UAE-NRW discussions.
- https://thefinanceworld.com/uae-and-germany-expand-strategic-economic-partnership/ – Reiterates the focus on accelerating trade and innovation in UAE-Germany relations (duplicate domain included due to lack of additional unique URLs matching specific claims like trade figures or UAE-German Business Forum).
- https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiowFBVV95cUxPTERXbVVSX20wRUd5TGlfVE1QUEw3MmhKbnIyd1dzNjhCcXlvSVZESW50a2liZzcwQnB2Yzl4LVVhX3ZYclp0N0IzY0JiNWUyM0xNZ3BBbGx6WUt6am16ZkJQN0tYcVNZZDhLemh5akdsTlJWY1BRRGVmZk5uSVJDSnZZX0hwSTBsN2lwQkZOck5MRXBRUEpOVmZFMTVSQy1ubTBn?oc=5&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative mentions recent events and figures from 2024, indicating it is up-to-date with current economic developments between the UAE and Germany.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi’s quotes appear to be from a recent meeting. Without specific prior instances of these quotes online, they may be original, though verification against direct transcription or official records is advisable.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative lacks a clear source attribution. While it references specific events and figures, its reliability depends on the credibility of the actual source, which is not mentioned.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The economic cooperation and trade figures between the UAE and Germany are plausible given historical relations and recent economic trends. However, specific investment details would benefit from official confirmation.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to be fresh and plausible, reflecting recent economic developments between the UAE and Germany. However, its reliability is uncertain due to a lack of clear source attribution, and quotes could benefit from verification against official transcripts.
