[citation needed] In 1972, General Secretary Erich Honecker visited Cuba and in honor of the state visit, Fidel Castro renamed an island to Ernst Thälmann Island in honor of Ernst Thälmann, the leader of the Communist Party of Germany from 1925 to 1933.

In 2001, economic minister Werner Müller visited Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro to discuss trade relations.

Cuba cooperates with Germany on several development aid projects involving environmental protections, renewable energy, and combating climate change.

Germany exports a wide variety of mechanical and industrial devices such as centrifuges and agricultural products such as wheat.

A joint German-Cuban venture, PAMAS, was created to build industrial valves, pneumatic and hydraulic components.