As of May 1, the United Arab Emirates is leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the wider group of OPEC+ producers, the state agency WAM announced. According to the Emirati Ministry of Energy, this will allow the country more flexibility in responding to changes in the market in the current situation. This is a surprising decision that the emirates did not consult with the other members in advance. Reuters reported that it was a severe blow to OPEC.
28/04/2026 14:59
The emirates’ decision could weaken the unity of the organization and the position of its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when the US-Israeli war against Iran has shocked energy markets and disrupted the global economy. The United Arab Emirates is one of the key producers in the OPEC organization.
“This decision reflects the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and changing the country’s energy profile, including accelerated investment in domestic energy production, while reinforcing its commitment to play a responsible, reliable and progressive role in global energy markets,” the UAE said.
The decision also comes at a time when the UAE’s relations with Saudi Arabia are becoming increasingly complicated and strained, especially in the economic sphere and in connection with the war in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthis.
“The decision of the United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC as of May 1 represents one of the biggest interventions in the functioning of the cartel in recent years – and it comes at a moment when the global oil market is extremely fragile,” Purple Trading analyst Petr Lajsek told ČTK. “It is not an insignificant player. The Emirates is the third largest producer within OPEC, with production of around 3.3 to 3.5 million barrels per day,” he added.
The announcement of the departure from the organization comes at the right time, when it will not have a significant impact on the market, given the current restrictions on the transportation of oil in the Strait of Hormuz, Emirati Energy Minister Suhajl Mazrui told Reuters. He also said that the decision comes at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented situation as strategic reserves of petroleum products are falling to alarming levels.
The United Arab Emirates is a long-standing member of OPEC. The emirate of Abu Dhabi has been a member since 1967, and since 1971 as a united country of several emirates. Their departure could cause chaos and weaken the group, which despite internal disputes ranging from geopolitics to mining quotas, has usually tried to act as one.
