The UAE announced on Tuesday its withdrawal from OPEC and the OPEC+ alliance. This withdrawal is considered a strong blow to the two blocs and to Saudi Arabia, which may cause chaos and weaken the organization. The decision will also be a major victory for US President Donald Trump, who has often accused the organization of "exploiting the rest of the world" by raising oil prices.

Published on: 04/28/2026 - 14:33 Last updated: 04/29/2026 - 05:58

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The UAE announced on Tuesday its decision to withdraw from OPEC and the OPEC+ alliance, in a move that constitutes a strong blow to these two blocs and to Saudi Arabia, which is considered their de facto leader, at a sensitive time in which the energy sector is witnessing a historical shock due to the Iran war, which has led to confusion in the global economy.

A sudden withdrawal by the UAE, a long-time member of OPEC, would cause chaos and weaken the organization, which has often sought to appear as a united front despite internal disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to production quotas.

It is expected that OPEC oil producers in the Gulf region will find it extremely difficult to ship their exports through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and the Authority of Oman through which a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas usually passed, due to Iranian threats and attacks on ships.

Victory for Trump

The UAE's exit from OPEC represents a major victory for US President Donald Trump, who has often accused the organization of "exploiting the rest of the world" by raising oil prices.

Trump linked US military support to the Gulf states to oil prices, and said that while the United States defends OPEC members, they "exploit this by imposing high oil prices."

This step comes after the UAE, a regional commercial center and one of Washington's most important allies, criticized other Arab countries for not making sufficient efforts to protect it from repeated Iranian attacks during the war.

For his part, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the President of the UAE, criticized the reaction of Arab and Gulf countries to the Iranian attacks during a session at the Gulf Influencers Forum on Monday.

He stated, "The position of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries supported each other logistically, but from a political and military perspective, I believe that the position was the weakest historically."

He continued, "I expect such a weak position from the Arab League and I am not surprised by it, but I do not expect it from the Cooperation Council and I am surprised by it."

France 24/Reuters

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