ABU DHABI // German chancellor Angela Merkel visited Abu Dhabi for a state visit on Monday and to hold talks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed on the conflicts in Yemen, Libya and Syria, as well as strengthening economic ties.
Ms Merkel was greeted at Abu Dhabi airport by Sheikh Mohammed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, followed by an official reception with a 21-gun salute, according to the WAM.
A business delegation accompanying the German chancellor was expected to meet UAE energy and trade officials in a separate meeting.
Ms Merkel was in Saudi Arabia for talks on Sunday, and is slated to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin tomorrow.
Under Ms Merkel, Berlin has over the past two years to shifted towards a more assertive role in international and security affairs in Europe as well as the Middle East and North Africa.
In the fight against ISIL, Germany has helped arm and train Kurdish forces fighting the extremist group, and established a UN-administered fund jointly with the UAE to help with reconstruction and governance efforts in territory reclaimed from ISIL.
When the UAE announced last year that it would take in 15,000 Syrian refugees, Germany was one of the countries, along with Canada, that advised Abu Dhabi on resettlement efforts. A statement provided by the UAE government also said the talks on Monday would cover refugee issues.
Ms Merkel and Sheikh Mohammed were also expected to discuss the conflict in Yemen, where European diplomats have been involved in trying to restart the political negotiations to bring an end to the war. "Seeking a political solution in Yemen will be high on the agenda" of Ms Merkel's Gulf visit, Germany's ambassador to Yemen, Andreas Kindl, said on Twitter.
The Arab conflict closest to western Europe, in Libya, will also be on the agenda in Abu Dhabi. Germany and other EU countries are increasingly focused combating instability in North Africa and also the Horn of Africa, where the UAE is also playing a larger economic and security role.
The UAE is Germany's largest Arab trading partner, and with economic diversification a priority in Saudi and in the UAE, finding areas for further investment will also be a priority.
Last year, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, said the country is looking to enhance cooperation with Germany's strong industrial sector as part of diversification efforts that include significant focus on expanding industrial production and expertise in the UAE.
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