Relationship dossier
Germany
Qatar
Relationship assessment
Expanding energy and investment ties alongside disagreements over human rights and World Cup-related criticism
Germany toward Qatar
+40Germany established an energy partnership with Qatar in 2022 and pursued agreements for Qatari LNG deliveries, while German officials have also publicly criticized human-rights conditions in Qatar.
Qatar toward Germany
+40Qatar pursued long-term LNG supply arrangements with German buyers and has substantial investment ties in Germany, including through state-linked investment entities.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship combines growing energy and investment links with periodic political friction. The 2022 energy partnership and LNG supply arrangements support cooperation, while German criticism of human-rights issues and Qatar’s response to World Cup-related remarks illustrate limits to political alignment.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Germany and Qatar have expanded energy cooperation, including a bilateral energy partnership and arrangements for Qatari liquefied natural gas deliveries to Germany. Qatar is also a major investor in Germany. Cooperation coexists with disagreements over human rights and public criticism surrounding Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Areas of tension
- German criticism of human-rights and labor conditions in Qatar.
- Qatar objected to remarks by German officials concerning the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Key developments
Germany and Qatar established an energy partnership as Germany sought to diversify its energy supplies.
QatarEnergy and ConocoPhillips agreed to supply liquefied natural gas to Germany under a long-term arrangement, with deliveries planned from 2026.
Qatar summoned the German ambassador after remarks by Germany’s interior minister concerning security at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral energy and security cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of direct Qatari government investment in Germany, distinct from investment by state-linked entities, is unclear.