DUBAI, 20 February 2022 (WAM). Mariam bint Mohammed almheiri, UAE Minister for Climate Change and Environment, returned from a four-day visit in Germany. She met with high-ranking government and parliamentary officials, as well as key players from both the private and public sectors, to discuss opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.
Hafsa Al-Ulama, the Ambassador of the UAE to Germany, was with the Minister during the trip.
The UAE was attempting to create synergies with other countries to drive sustainable development and improve food security. Climate action, clean energy, particularly clean hydrogen, smart AgTech and food trade were the main areas of focus.
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 that Germany and the UAE share a strong commitment towards continuous progress, a passion and willingness to embrace future trends. The visit was a great opportunity to exchange expertise and experience, and explore synergies in areas mutually beneficial. Germany is a world technology leader and is an important partner in the UAE’s efforts to create a better future.
She said: “I would like thank all the German officials I met for the warm welcome and hospitality they have shown me during our trip.” I look forward transforming the results of our productive discussions into tangible projects that will help build sustainable food systems and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy, fight global warming, and preserve our environment for the next generation.
The UAE Embassy in Berlin held a discussion with experts on the first day of the visit.
Almheiri addressed representatives from German research institutions and government agencies as well as the private sector. They covered all aspects of energy and climate policy. She presented an overview of UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative which aligns with Germanys ambitions to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG), emissions by 2045. Additionally, she highlighted the UAE’s willingness to share lessons learned in pursuing parallel pathways towards climate neutrality.
The two days spent in Berlin included a full agenda of bilateral meetings with German officials. The Minister met Oliver Krischer, Parliamentary Secretary at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Dr Ophelia Nickel, Parliamentary Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture, and Niels Anen, Parliamentary Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), which is composed of parliamentary state secretaries, assists ministers with their portfolios.
Almheiri also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the advancement of the energy transition, along with Ellen von Zitzewitz Director of Bilateral Energie Cooperation at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The Minister visited the Bundestag with Armin Laschet (Member of the Bundestag) and Nils Schmid (Financial Policy Spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party of Germany). She also met several spokespersons from German parliamentary factions. These included Jrgen Trottin, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson of The Greens Faction and Nils Schim, Foreign Policy Spokesperson of The Social Democratic Party of Germany(SPD) Faction.
She also held two trilateral meetings, the first with Carsten Trager, Spokesperson for the SPD Faction for Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, and Dr Nina Scheer, the Spokesperson for the SPD Faction for Climate and Energy. The second was with Dr Katja Leikert, Chairwoman for the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union Faction on the Bundestags Commission on Family Affairs, Seniors, Women and Youth, and Jrgen Hartt, Foreign Policy Spokesperson for the CDU/CSU Faction.
Almheiri and Steffi Lemke enjoyed a lively discussion about the UAE and Germanys shared commitments to environmental protection. Renata Al, Chairwoman of Bundestags Committee on Human rights and humanitarian aid, was the last person to meet on the Berlin leg.
The Minister met with officials from the Bavarian State Government in Munich on day three. Dr Markus Sder (Minister-President of Bavaria) and Roland Weigert (State Secretary for Economic Affairs) were two of these officials.
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.
Almheiri was invited to participate in the Munich Security Conference (MSC), a two-day conference that brought together Olaf Scholz, German Federal Chancellor and Helga Mari Schmid, Secretary General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Alok Sharma, President, COP26 and John Kerry, US Special Presidential Ambassador for Climate. This gathering was the largest dedicated to international security policies in the world and included officials from global organisations as well as representatives of top companies and ministers.
Cem Zdemir, German Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Werner Baumann (Chief of Bayer AG) attended the Seed Change Required: Ensuring Food Security townhall, where they discussed ways to end world hunger. She also shared the UAE’s vision for an inclusive CO28 at the Good Cops: Aligning International Climate Diplomacy Townhall.
Almheiri also attended the Angermayer Policy & Innovation Forum High-level Investors Roundtable, which was hosted by Christian Angermayer, a serial entrepreneur and investor from Germany. The event brought together high-profile international investors and political decision-makers to discuss geopolitical developments as well as investment opportunities in an informal 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 of Special Affairs and Head the Chancellery, as well as Omid Nouripour (Co-Chairman of The Greens), during the conference. She was also joined by Dr Anna Lhrmann, German Federal Foreign Office Minister for Europe and Climate, 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 Dr Christian Bruch (President and CEO of Siemens Energy) and Oliver Zipse (Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW AG). They discussed the importance of the private sector in advancing sustainability development and the significant contributions of both multinational conglomerates.
The trip culminated with a meeting of John Kerry, Cindy McCain, Permanent Representative to the US to UN Agencies in Rome, as well as a separate meeting with Cem Zdemir.
The UAE and Germany have long-standing strong ties. This was further enhanced by the signing of a joint strategy partnership statement in 2019. The two countries will be celebrating the golden jubilee in their diplomatic relations in May 2022.
Germany’s largest trading partner in the Arab world is the UAE, and it is also the third-largest re-exporter of German goods in the world. The total non-oil trade volume between them reached US$8.589 million in 2020.