Event Overview
UAE Bristled at Saudis for Years Before Iran War Tipped Scales
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced its withdrawal from OPEC, effective May 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in its relationship with Saudi Arabia. This decision is viewed as a reflection of a deepening rift between the two nations, with the UAE's exit seen as indicative of a broader regional realignment. The UAE's departure is expected to impact OPEC's influence over global oil supplies and prices, as the organization has historically played a crucial role in managing oil production among its members.
The UAE's exit from OPEC is likely to diminish the cartel's control over global oil markets, potentially affecting oil prices and production strategies among member states, as reported by the Associated Press.
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UAE Bristled at Saudis for Years Before Iran War Tipped Scales
The United Arab Emirates’ worsening rift with Saudi Arabia was at the heart of its shock decision to quit OPEC.
The UAE’s OPEC exit is not about oil; it is the end of Gulf solidarity
International consultant in energy and global affairs. For decades, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) functioned as far more than an oil cartel. For its Gulf members, the organisation embodied a form of collective sovereignty over their primary resource: the capacity of Arab producing states.
United Arab Emirates will leave OPEC in a blow to the oil cartel
The decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave the OPEC oil cartel shook up the 65-year-old alliance that produces some 40% of the world’s crude oil and exerts major influence over the price of energy around the globe. This is a locator map for United Arab Emirates with its capital, Abu Dhabi. (AP Photo) The logo.