The UAE’s decision to leave Opec marks a rupture — but not a sudden one. It is the culmination of a longer structural tension between national strategy and collective constraint. (CONTINUED - 1703 WORDS)
The UAE Exit: Opec’s Real Challenge Is Not Its Members, It’s the Flow
1 May 2026
Issue:
69 / 18
Catalyzed by the Middle East conflict, oil market management mechanisms are rapidly evolving. The UAE’s decision to leave Opec is symptomatic of these structural shifts, and Opec will have to adapt to the new realities, writes Dr Sara Vakhshouri*. Control over flows is more important than control over production.
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