Minister Habeck visits Qatar and the UAE – focus on energy security matters

Federal Minister Robert Habeck will travel to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from 19 to 21 March. His talks will focus on energy, in particular hydrogen and LNG. In Doha, he will be received by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AL-THANI. Talks have also been arranged with Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-KAABI and Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Qassim Al-Abdullah AL-THANI. In the UAE, the agenda includes talks with Climate Change Minister and Special Envoy for Germany Mariam Almheiri, with Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan Al Jaber, and with Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazroui. Minister Habeck will be accompanied by a high-level business delegation. Apart from matters regarding the economic relations, the topics of the talks during the visit will include social values. The human rights situation will also be addressed.

Minister Habeck said: "Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has placed the issue of energy security at the centre of the international debate. It is now more important than ever to promote a global energy transition and to push forward with the diversification of natural gas sources. In the short term, we will need more LNG for a certain period of time, and we want to build our own terminals in Germany for LNG imports. At the same time, we now also need to further speed up the upcoming transition from conventional natural gas to green hydrogen. The best way to do this is through cooperation at European and international level. Our partners in Qatar and in the United Arab Emirates play a central role when it comes to reaching these two objectives."