The Federal Republic of Germany has maintained diplomatic relations with Maldives since 1966. The German Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, handles official business. Germany is represented by an honorary consul in the capital Malé, while the Republic of Maldives opened an embassy in Berlin in September 2016.

Germany began early on to assist Maldives in its democratisation process and is supporting the development of democratic and rule-of-law structures through a broad-based joint legal advisory project. Relations have intensified under President Ibrahim Solih, illustrated by his visit to Germany and talks with the Federal President in March 2023. Other areas of cooperation include environmental and climate protection. A cooperation project between the Maldivian Environment Ministry and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research resulted in a plastics ban in Maldives in June 2022.

Tourism is by far the country’s largest economic sector, contributing around 29 percent to GDP, with German tourists making up the eighth-largest group (fourth in 2022). The volume of trade with Germany totals around 74 million US dollars, with Maldives chiefly importing foodstuffs and chemical products.