UAE leaves OPEC

ABU DHABI, April 29, 2026 – The UAE has announced it will leave OPEC on May 1, weakening the oil producers’ group’s influence over global oil supplies amid the unprecedented energy crisis caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The move could allow the UAE, one of OPEC’s largest producers, to increase output once conditions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf permit the normal resumption of oil shipments, as OPEC quotas will no longer bind the country.

In statements to Reuters, UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei said the decision followed a review of national energy strategies and had not been discussed with any other country.

“This is a policy decision, it has been done after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production,” ⁠Mazrouei said.

He added that he did not expect the decision to have much of an immediate impact on oil market dynamics due to the transit constraints still in effect in the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices in international markets eased back from recent gains on the news.

Read our interview with UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure H.E. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei here.

The decision is expected to widen tensions between the UAE and OPEC’s de facto leader, Saudi Arabia. The two countries have disagreed on oil policy as they compete to attract international capital to grow their respective non-oil sectors. Analysts suggest the UAE could gain market share once regional supply constraints ease.

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