UAE to exit OPEC and OPEC+ in May 2026

The United Arab Emirates has announced it will leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its wider alliance, OPEC+, with effect from May 1, 2026. The move will end nearly six decades of membership in the producers’ group and represents a major shift in the country’s approach to managing its oil output in coordination with other exporters.

The decision has drawn wide international attention, with global media describing it as a significant development for the global oil producers’ group. The exit date of May 1, 2026, provides a clear timetable for the transition away from the cartel’s collective production framework.

Before recent conflicts, the UAE was OPEC’s third‑largest producer, accounting for roughly 12% of the group’s overall oil supply. This scale of output made the country one of the most influential members within OPEC’s internal negotiations on production levels and quota policies.

Given this share of supply, the withdrawal of the UAE is expected to affect OPEC’s aggregate production capacity and, by extension, its efforts to manage global oil supply and prices through coordinated output decisions among members.

The UAE’s exit comes amid heightened regional tensions, particularly with Iran. According to verified information, security threats from Iran, including missile and drone attacks targeting the UAE, have influenced the country’s decision to leave OPEC and OPEC+.

These security threats have contributed to a broader sense of risk in the region and have constrained oil exports. In this context, the UAE’s reassessment of its participation in the producers’ group is closely linked to concerns about how regional instability affects its energy sector.

UAE Energy Minister Suhail al‑Mazrouei stated that the decision followed a careful review of the country’s energy strategy. He emphasized that leaving OPEC and OPEC+ is intended to provide the UAE with greater flexibility in setting its oil production levels.

By stepping away from the cartel’s coordinated framework, the UAE aims to better align its output decisions with anticipated future global demand. This strategic shift is positioned as a means to manage national production policy more independently while responding to evolving market conditions.

As OPEC’s third‑largest producer, the UAE’s departure is viewed as a major development for the organization. With roughly 12% of its overall supply previously coming from the UAE, the group will have to adjust to the loss of a substantial contributor to its collective output.

The exit is expected to affect OPEC’s ability to manage oil supply and prices, especially at a time when security threats in the region have already constrained exports. How OPEC+ and other producers respond to the UAE’s planned departure will shape the group’s role in the global oil market after May 1, 2026.