The UAE has been OPEC’s third-largest producer after Saudi Arabia and Iraq and has helped shape group decisions since joining in 1967, seven years after the organisation’s creation.
OPEC’s model centres on coordinating member output to balance global crude supply and support prices.
Ongoing war in Iran has already disrupted flows, creating a moment where any shift from a major producer lands harder on the market.
Officials announced the departure through state agency WAM, framing it as part of a long-term economic and energy strategy.
WAM reported that the move followed an internal review of national production policy, current and future capacity and the country’s broader economic priorities.
Authorities link the decision to plans to accelerate investment in domestic energy output and to retain flexibility in how quickly new barrels reach global buyers.
They emphasise that leaving OPEC is a policy shift rather than a rupture, aimed at responding more nimbly to changing market dynamics while still supporting overall stability.
The UAE also confirms it is exiting OPEC+, the wider grouping that brings Russia and other producers into the coordination framework.
Officials insist the country will keep acting as a “responsible” supplier by phasing additional production into the market gradually rather than flooding it.
They stress ongoing cooperation with international partners to develop energy resources, support domestic economic diversification and uphold energy security.
Messaging from the energy ministry highlights a focus on reliable, lower-carbon supply and on maintaining relatively stable global markets, even without formal OPEC alignment.
