German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at Meseberg Castle in Berlin for talks aimed at strengthening economic and political ties.
The talks come as Germany looks for new energy partners following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted its energy supply. Qatar, a major player in the energy market, has been increasingly significant in Germany’s energy diversification policy.
Saad al-Kaabi, Qatar’s energy minister, and Mansoor Ebrahim Al-Mahmoud, the head of the Qatar Investment Authority, which owns stakes in significant German businesses like Deutsche Bank and Volkswagen, are with the Emir. One significant agenda is Qatar’s potential acquisition of a stake in Schwedt, Berlin’s largest refinery, which is now held by Russia’s Rosneft.
Beyond oil, global security issues will be tackled, with Qatar actively serving as a mediator in the Middle East, particularly between Hamas and Israel. Given the Gulf state’s strategic importance in the region, Germany regards it as a key partner. Some critics, however, dispute growing ties with Qatar because of worries about its human rights record, which came to light during the 2022 World Cup.
