Why did the UAE leave OPEC?
The UAE said the decision followed a comprehensive review of its production policy, current capacity and future energy plans. State news agency WAM said the move reflects the country’s national interest and its commitment to responding effectively to market needs while supporting global energy stability.
“This is a policy decision, it has been done after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production,” he told Reuters, adding that the UAE did not raise the issue with other countries before making the decision.
The country has been investing heavily in expanding its production capacity and plans to raise output capacity from about 3.4 million barrels per day to 5 million barrels per day by 2027. Leaving OPEC and OPEC+ removes the UAE from quota agreements, giving it more flexibility to bring new capacity to market when it chooses.
In an interview with CNBC, Al Mazrouei said the decision followed “a very careful and long review” of policy.
Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series.
Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy.
An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question.
When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.
