The United Arab Emirates’ decision to leave a global cartel of major oil-exporting countries is seen to reflect a widening fracture within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The country joined the group in 1971, though one of its emirates – Abu Dhabi – joined in 1967.

The UAE’s Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement that the decision was based on the country’s national interests and its commitment to meeting global market demand. The UAE is one of the world’s biggest oil producers and exporters.

The decision follows the departures of several other Opec members in recent years. Qatar terminated its membership in 2019, while Ecuador officially withdrew a year later and Angola left in 2024.

Sun Degang, director of the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, said the UAE’s exit from Opec showed that “the cohesion of the GCC has encountered serious problems”.