Riyadh/Berlin (dpa) – With a push for investment, including in the energy sector, Economic Affairs Minister Katharina Reiche aims to expand relations with Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner for Germany – not just economically but also in terms of energy policy and technology. We want to deepen our partnership, particularly in the areas of energy, start-ups, artificial intelligence and future technologies,” she said before departing for Riyadh.
An energy partnership was also to be signed, said the minister, adding that in addition to the supply of oil and gas products from Saudi Arabia, this would include strategic investments in renewable energies. Reiche specifically cited storage technologies and sustainable hydrogen. Saudi Arabia was also placing a strong emphasis on decarbonisation, she said. Reiche will be accompanied by representatives of 35 companies and eleven start-ups from both the conventional energy sector and the renewables industry.
With regard to the United States under President Donald Trump, Reiche said: “When partnerships that we’ve relied on for decades begin to show signs of strain, Germany has to seek out new partners.” As an export nation, Germany needed to diversify its partnerships, said the minister.
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