Name of country: Negara Brunei Darussalam, short form: Brunei Darussalam

Establishment of diplomatic relations: 30 January 1984 (Federal Republic of Germany)

System of government: Absolute monarchy (Malay Islamic Monarchy, MIB)

Germany and Brunei Darussalam have maintained diplomatic relations since the latter gained independence in 1984.

Bilateral relations are focused on the economic sector. However, as an ASEAN member and a coastal state on the South China Sea, Brunei Darussalam is a politically important partner as well. As Germany does not import either oil or natural gas from Brunei Darussalam (which currently account for around 70% of the country’s exports), the balance of trade favours Germany, which supplies a wide range of industrial goods to Brunei Darussalam (mainly motor vehicles, machinery, medical technology and capital goods), as well as services (e.g. Lufthansa Technik, Detecon, Dermalog, Allianz, ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions, Heidelberg Materials, Rheinmetall). Federal Foreign Minister Wadephul visited the sultanate in February 2026. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah visited Berlin and Hamburg for three days in May 2026 at the invitation of Federal President Steinmeier.