UAE and Germany explore opportunities to develop economic partnership and enhance cooperation in new economy, tourism, entrepreneurship, and food and agriculture

Minister of Economy & Tourism invites the German business community to benefit from the extensive opportunities and advantages offered by the UAE

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, held a meeting with H.E. Katherina Reiche, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, at Expo City Dubai. The meeting focused on enhancing the strategic economic partnership between the UAE and Germany and boosting economic and investment cooperation in new economy, tourism, entrepreneurship, agriculture, food security, transport, and technology.

H.E. Bin Touq affirmed the strong and growing economic ties between the UAE and Germany, which span various vital sectors and represent an advanced model of economic partnership. He attributed this to the visionary support from the leadership of both countries, which has been instrumental in fostering growth and opening new prospects for economic exchanges.

H.E. said: “The meeting is a significant opportunity to broaden the scope of the UAE-Germany partnership and elevate it to higher levels of coordination. The discussions will enable our business communities to access new opportunities and facilitate the exchange of expertise, particularly as our two countries share common development goals and possess complementary economic and tourism strengths. This synergy bolsters public and private sector collaboration and enhances prospects for business growth and cross-border investments.”

“The UAE market has welcomed over 1,655 new German companies since the beginning of January until early November 2025 - up 20.3 per cent compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, a total of 627 new German brands have entered the market, comprising 160 local and 467 international ones, reflecting the sustained expansion of German business activities in the UAE,” H.E. added.

The meeting discussed mechanisms to enhance cooperation and facilitate access for Emirati and German companies to promising opportunities in priority sectors across both markets. The talks also addressed the role of advanced technologies, digital solutions, and AI in driving economic growth, as well as opportunities to deepen cooperation in developing and implementing circular economy policies, including smart infrastructure and sustainable transport. They further highlighted the importance of fostering startups and entrepreneurship.

H.E. Bin Touq highlighted the evolution of the UAE’s economic legislation, noting the issuance and modernization of more than 35 laws, regulations, and policies over the past five years. These reforms, he stated, have helped diversify the national economy and strengthen its regional and global competitiveness. His Excellency also outlined the wide range of incentives and enablers the UAE provides to entrepreneurs and SMEs. He further presented the Ministry of Economy and Tourism’s vision for developing the Food Cluster, an integrated ecosystem that brings together agricultural production, food industries, and modern AgriTech within a unified, collaborative framework.

In this context, the Minister of Economy and Tourism invited the German business community to benefit from the extensive opportunities and advantages offered by the UAE, most notably its strategic geographic location connecting global markets, a competitive economic legislative environment that allows 100 per cent foreign ownership, and flexible, modern laws governing commercial agencies, family businesses, cooperatives, e-commerce, and competition. The UAE also offers a sophisticated business climate with access to over 2,000 economic activities, tax incentives, long-term residency options for investors and entrepreneurs, and numerous free zones for company establishment.

The two ministers agreed on the importance of tourism as a key pillar for future cooperation. They discussed ways to boost tourism flows between the two countries and expand joint tourism programmes, alongside coordinating international events and sharing expertise in green and sustainable tourism to support the sector’s long-term growth. This is especially relevant as the UAE welcomed approximately 165,000 German tourists in 2024.