Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder began his Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi, where economic interests were at the centre of the delegation’s agenda. The United Arab Emirates plans to invest €10 billion in Bavaria, although the proposal remains a framework rather than a completed transaction. The timing and precise projects have yet to be decided.
The UAE invests around €40 billion in companies across Germany, with Bavaria expected to account for roughly one quarter. Potential areas include aerospace, artificial intelligence, defence, energy, mechanical engineering and agricultural technology. The emirates are already Bavaria’s most important trading partner in the Middle East, with cars, electrical equipment, machinery and chemical products among the main exports.
Söder’s programme began with a visit to the Al Wathba camel-racing track, held at the explicit invitation of the UAE government. He inspected the animals and briefly held a leash for photographs, but otherwise kept his distance. The restrained appearance contrasted with more playful moments on earlier foreign trips, including visits to India, Sweden and China.
The change in tone follows criticism within the CSU after difficult local elections in the spring. Söder had faced accusations of excessive self-promotion and a preference for spectacle. He later said he was grateful for the criticism and would try to act on it. In Abu Dhabi, his conduct was presented as evidence of a more serious and controlled style.
The visit includes meetings at the Emirati presidential palace, government ministries and business events. Bavarian State Chancellery Minister Florian Herrmann and Abu Dhabi’s economy minister signed a declaration intended to strengthen dialogue and exchanges, including through a planned joint economic commission.
Söder also visited a major exhibition focused on energy, technology and industrial transformation. Together with German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, he opened the German pavilion before meeting Bavarian companies, including manufacturers from Kempten and Vilsbiburg, a turbine producer headquartered in Nuremberg and an Augsburg-based defence company that also makes civilian propulsion systems.
A round-table discussion on investment took place behind closed doors with German business representatives and officials from the UAE. Söder was also expected to meet the Emirati president without media access. The detailed work is being handled by the UAE’s foreign trade chamber and the Association of Bavarian Business, which are examining possible investments, contracts and joint projects.
The Bavarian government and the federal government can promote opportunities and set a broad framework, but concerns remain over whether Emirati expectations will match German bureaucracy and regulatory requirements. Söder said he sensed during the meetings that the UAE was taking its investment plans seriously.
The delegation is scheduled to continue to Qatar after Abu Dhabi. At home, Söder is travelling without the leadership uncertainty that can accompany federal government visits abroad. The earlier signs of an internal CSU debate have faded, allowing him to use the international stage with confidence while focusing on securing economic commitments for Bavaria.
Sources: Süddeutsche Zeitung.