UAE leaves OPEC and OPEC+ in huge blow to global oil producers' group

The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday (April 28, 2026) it quit Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and OPEC+, dealing a ​heavy blow to the oil exporting groups and their de ‌facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when ​the Iran war has caused a ⁠historic energy shock and unsettled the global economy.

The stunning loss of the UAE, a longstanding OPEC member, could create disarray and ‌weaken the group, which has usually sought to show a united front despite internal ‌disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to ‌production ⁠quotas.