ABU DHABI, 3rd November, 2026 (WAM) — Fahad Al Gergawi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Trade, on Tuesday hosted a high-level UAE–Germany business roundtable with a delegation from the Free State of Bavaria, led by Dr. Markus Söder, Minister-President of Bavaria, at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi.
The roundtable brought together senior government officials, business leaders and representatives of chambers of commerce from the UAE and Bavaria to explore new opportunities for trade, investment and private-sector collaboration.
The programme included opening remarks, introductions by participating representatives and closing remarks by Al Gergawi and Dr. Söder.
Al Gergawi was joined for the opening session by Dr. Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and Bavarian State Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Relations and Media.
Al Gergawi said, “The UAE and Bavaria share a clear commitment to innovation, industrial development and private-sector-led growth. Building on the strong foundations of the UAE–Germany economic partnership, today’s roundtable provides an important platform for our business communities to identify practical opportunities, establish new connections and develop partnerships that can deliver long-term value for both economies.”
“Germany remains one of the UAE’s most important economic partners in Europe, and Bavaria’s strengths offer considerable scope for deeper collaboration. By connecting our investors, companies and institutions, we can accelerate cooperation, unlock new commercial opportunities and support sustainable, mutually beneficial growth,” he added.
The roundtable followed a period of expanding economic engagement between the UAE and Germany. Bilateral non-oil foreign trade reached US$15.6 billion in 2025, representing growth of 14.7 percent compared with 2024 and 19.1 percent compared with 2023. Germany is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner within the European Union and accounts for approximately 20% of the UAE’s total non-oil foreign trade with the bloc.
The event also built on the outcomes of the 12th UAE–Germany Joint Economic Committee and Business Forum, held in Munich in September 2026.
During those engagements, the two countries identified opportunities to expand cooperation across energy and renewable energy, advanced technology and artificial intelligence, industry and manufacturing, logistics and transport, healthcare and life sciences, financial services, education and scientific research, agriculture and food security, and infrastructure.
Dr. Söder said, “The UAE is an important partner for Bavaria, and this roundtable demonstrates our shared interest in developing stronger links between our companies and institutions. Bavaria brings internationally recognised capabilities in industry, technology and innovation, while the UAE offers a dynamic, globally connected platform for trade and investment. We look forward to converting these complementary strengths into productive, long-term partnerships.”
The UAE delegation included representatives of UAE Chambers, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Emirates, AD Ports Group, Masdar, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Elite Agro Holding, Lulu International Holding, Al Masaood and the Germany-UAE Business Council.
The Bavarian delegation included senior representatives of the Bavarian State Chancellery and officials responsible for European and international affairs, strategic planning and government communications. The German delegation also included Tobias Tunkel, German Ambassador to the UAE.
During the discussions, participants considered how closer institutional and business engagement can help develop investable opportunities, support direct company-to-company cooperation and strengthen commercial links between the UAE and Bavaria.
The roundtable reflected the two sides’ commitment to maintaining momentum in the broader UAE–Germany relationship and turning high-level engagement into tangible private-sector outcomes.
Source: Emirates News Agency
