Germany’s Ministers of Environment, Economics, and Finance are engaged in visits abroad at present, the first being the participation in the Belem, Brazil COP30 ecology summit, not likely to generate anything positive. The other two visits, to the United Arab Emirates and to China, while not entirely free from green views, are more interesting, involving potential improvement of options for German industry.
Visiting the U.A.E., Economics Minister Katharina Reiche is accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including Siemens board members Anne-Laure de Chammard (Energy) and Peter Körte; Uniper CEO Michael Lewis; Isar Aerospace CEO Daniel Metzler: SAP CFO Dominik Asam; Marvel Fusion CEO Moritz von der Linden; Secunet CEO Christian Jüttner; and the Chancellor’s personal investment representative Martin Blessing. Some 1800 German companies are now registered in the Emirates. In a survey, 85% of business leaders described the investment conditions as very good. German exports to the U.A.E. reached almost €10 billion in 2024.
On Nov. 17, Reiche negotiated with Emirates Economics Minister Sultan Al Jabar about hydrogen deliveries to Germany and the takeover of the Covestro company by Adnoc, of which Al Jabar is also CEO. The signatures are expected to be completed in the next few days. Without Adnoc, Covestro, a German producer of polymer materials, would not have survived.
On Nov. 18, the minister will fly on to Qatar to revive an LNG deal that was started but not completed in 2022 under Green Economy Minister Robert Habeck. At that time, the deal fell through because Germany wanted only to make short-term commitments. Reiche is prepared to conclude long-term agreements that are expected to generate reliable and low prices of LNG. She is also said to be open to the U.A.E. request that Germany invest in pipeline and port infrastructure—on which Habeck had refused to agree.
