During Germany visit, Minister of Climate Change and Environment explores possible synergies in climate action and clean energy.
DUBAI 20 February 2022 Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri was back in Germany after a four day visit. There she discussed potential cooperation opportunities with Germany with high-ranking government and parliament officials as well as key figures from the private sector.
Hafsa al Ulama, Ambassador of UAE to Germany, was there with the Minister.
The UAE was attempting to establish synergies between countries in order to drive sustainable development and increase food security.
The focus areas were climate action, clean energies, especially clean hydrogen and smart AgTech.
Almheiri used the trip to highlight UAE’s global climate leadership, economic diversification agenda and enabling environment fo foreign direct investment (FDI).
The Minister said: “The UAE and Germany share a firm commitment to continuous progress, a passion for innovation, and an eagerness to embrace future trends.
The visit provided an opportunity for us to exchange expertise and experience, and explore possible synergies within areas of mutual interest.
Germany is a global technology leader and is a valued partner in UAE’s efforts for a better tomorrow.
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She added: “I would like to thank all the German officials that I met for their warm welcome and hospitality we have received during our trip.
I look forward transforming the results from our productive conversations into tangible initiatives that will help build sustainable food systems, accelerate clean energy transition, fight climate change, preserve the environment and natural resources for future generations.
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The UAE Embassy in Berlin held a discussion with experts on the first day of the visit.
Almheiri addressed representatives both of German research institutions and government entities at the event.
She gave an overview of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, which aligns with Germany’s ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 2045. She also highlighted the UAE’s eagerness to exchange lessons learned in pursuing parallel paths to climate neutrality.
The two days that were spent in Berlin included a packed agenda of bilateral talks with German officials.
The Minister met with Oliver Krischer (Parliamentary State Secretary) at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Dr Ophelia Nicholas, Parliamentary Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture, and Niels Anen (Parliamentary State Secretary of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), also attended the UAE Embassy.
Parliamentary state secretaries (Bundestag members) are members of Germany’s Federal Parliament that help ministers with their portfolios.
Almheiri also explored ways to strengthen cooperation in advancing energy transition with Ellen von Zitzewitz (Director of Bilateral Energy Cooperation, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action).
During her visit, the Minister toured the Bundestag in the company Armin Laschet who is a Member of the Bundestag. She was also a former Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia. She also met with representatives from various German parliamentary factions.
These included Jrgen Trottin, Foreign policy Spokesperson of The Greens Faction and Nils Schim, Foreign Policy Spokesperson of The Social Democratic Party of Germany(SPD) Faction.
Additionally, she had two trilateral meetings: the first was with Carsten Trger, Spokesperson for SPD Faction for Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and also Dr Nina Scheer, spokesperson for the SPD Faction for Climate and Energy. And the second was with Dr Katja Likert, Chairwoman for Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union Faction at the Bundestags Committee for Family Affairs, Seniors, Women and Youth, and Jrgen Hart, Foreign Policy Spokesperson for CDU/CSU Faction.
Almheiri also had a lively conversation with Steffi Lemke – Federal Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection – about the UAE and Germanys shared commitments to environmental protection.
Renata Alt (Chairwoman of the Bundestags Comitee on Human Rights & Humanitarian Aid) was the last meeting on the Berlin leg.
On Day Three, the Minister met in Munich with several officials from the Bavarian State Government.
Dr Markus Sder, Minister President of Bavaria, Roland Weigert, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, were among them.
In addition, she gave introductory remarks at Munich’s North Africa Middle East Initiative of German Business (NMI Executive Roundtable). She outlined the main opportunities and disadvantages of cooperation between the UAE-Germany as well as the advantages that the UAE offers investors and foreign companies.
The visit culminated in Almheiri’s participation in the two-day Munich Security Conference (MSC) in the presence of Olaf Scholz, German Federal Chancellor, Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Alok Sharma, President of COP26, and John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
The world’s largest gathering for international security policy convened both officials from global organizations and representatives of top companies from around the globe.
Cem Zdemir, German Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Werner Baumann Chairman of Bayer AG joined the Minister at Seed Change Needed: Ensuring Food Security townhall. This townhall was designed to explore ways to eradicate world hunger.
She also shared with her the UAEs vision of an inclusive CO28 at the Good Cops: Aligning International Climate Diplomacy Townhall.
Almheiri attended the Angermayer Innovation Forum High-level Investors Roundtable hosted by Christian Angermayer (German serial entrepreneur, investor).
The event brought together a number of prominent international investors with political decision-makers to discuss geopolitical developments in an off-record setting.
In her opening statement, the Minister highlighted the UAE’s growing appeal as an investment destination and invited the audience members to take advantage of the many FDI opportunities available in the country.
Almheiri met Wolfgang Schmidt (German Federal Minister for Special Affairs, Head of the Chancellery) and Omid Nouripour (Cochairman of The Greens) during the conference.
She was also joined by Dr Anna Lhrmann, Minister for Europe and Climate at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, and Jennifer Morgan, soon to be Special Envoy for International Climate Policy at the German Government, for a dinner conversation on the topic Climate, Peace and Stability – Building a better climate for Peace.
The Minister also met with Dr Christian Bruch who is President and CEO of Siemens Energy and Oliver Zipse who is Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
They discussed the role that the private sector plays in advancing sustainable development and the significant contributions made by the two multinational conglomerates.
The trip ended with a meeting between John Kerry and Cindy McCain (Permanent Representative of the US at the UN Agencies Rome), and a separate meeting to Cem zdemir.
Germany and the UAE have long-standing strong ties. This was further enhanced by the signing of a joint strategic partner statement in 2019.
The two countries will mark the golden jubilee in their diplomatic relations in May 2022.
Germany’s largest trade partner in the Arab world is the UAE. It is also the third largest re-exporter of German goods in the entire world.
The total non-oil trade volume between these two countries was US$8 in 2020.
589 billion.
