Why did the UAE decide to leave OAPEC, and how is this related to its earlier exit from OPEC and OPEC+?

The UAE exited OAPEC to prioritize boosting its own oil output, following its surprise announcement on April 28 of its departure from both OPEC and OPEC+, as stated in the news body. OAPEC — unlike OPEC — does not set production policies for its members, yet the UAE’s withdrawal signals a broader strategic shift toward national production autonomy rather than collective coordination, even within a looser, non-binding Arab oil alliance. The decision underscores the UAE’s intent to pursue independent energy policy goals unencumbered by multilateral constraints, despite OAPEC’s original 1968 mandate to foster cooperation among Arab petroleum exporters.

What is OAPEC’s role in global oil governance, and why is the UAE’s exit significant given that OAPEC does not set production policies?

OAPEC is an intergovernmental organization formed in 1968 to enhance cooperation among Arab oil exporters, but crucially, it does not set or enforce production policies for its members — a key distinction from OPEC. The UAE’s exit is significant not because OAPEC wields regulatory power, but because it reflects a deliberate disengagement from even symbolic or consultative regional energy diplomacy, reinforcing the UAE’s pivot toward sovereign control over output levels. As the news states, the departure follows the UAE’s earlier exit from OPEC and OPEC+, indicating a consistent, coordinated move away from all formal producer groupings — whether binding (OPEC) or voluntary (OAPEC) — in favor of unilateral production expansion.

UAE exits Arab oil exporter group OAPEC

May 3, 2026

The United Arab Emirates has officially exited the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), following its recent departure from OPEC groups to prioritize increasing national oil output. This strategic shift impacts regional energy cooperation dynamics established since 1968.

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