On Thursday, October 2, a discussion was held regarding the future of transatlantic relations with Consul General Moltmann while reflecting on German Unity Day (Oct. 3), commemorating German reunification in 1990, and the 25 anniversary of the Columbia’s Sister City partnership with Kaiserslautern.  

Before arriving in Atlanta in 2021, Ms. Melanie Moltmann was the Deputy Head of Division, Division for Immigration Law, Visa and Immigration Policy in Berlin. Her other diplomatic experiences include serving as the Deputy Head of the Mission and Counselor for Cultural and Press Affairs at the German Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Desk Officer, Division of South East Asia and the Pacific in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin; and Deputy Head of the Mission, German Embassy, Yerevan, Armenia. Fluent in Russian and English, after studying Law in Germany and U. K., Ms. Moltmann earned an LLM degree in Moscow. She is married and has three sons. 

German Unity Day is a German national holiday celebrated on October 3rd. It commemorates the reunification of the East and West Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990.  

In her talk Ms. Moltmann highlighted recent developments that have strengthened the relationship between the U.S. and Germany. Regarding trade, the U.S. remains Germany’s largest trading partner, however recent tariffs have caused a burden on the trade relationship. Germany and the U.S. continue to collaborate on defense matters even as Europe is shifting towards becoming more independent regarding defense and security. The current military relationship between Germany and the U.S. is also flourishing. 

Growing threats for Germany include energy sourcing. Germany was reliant on Russia for gas and oil but now has shifted to renewable energy sources in a move towards greater independence. Despite a lack of resources and usage of nuclear energy, Germany current sits at 60% renewable energy usage, with a goal of 80% by 2030. 

Thank you from the Walker Institute of International and Area Studies and Columbia World Affairs Council to our speaker Consul General Moltmann for this event! Stay tuned for more Palmetto Forums in the new year.