BEIJING, April 29. /TASS/. The United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reflects a strategic move to break free from production restrictions and boost exports, particularly through the port of Fujairah, which remains unaffected by the Strait of Hormuz blockage. Bao Chengzhang, a researcher at the Center for Middle East Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, conveyed this perspective to Xinhua News Agency.

According to Bao, in the face of the Strait of Hormuz closure, the UAE aims to unlock idle capacity and exercise greater flexibility in regulating its oil output by leveraging Fujairah’s unaffected status. He emphasized that recent developments underscore the UAE’s resolute intent to attain independent control over its oil production. Amid the ongoing global energy transition, Bao further suggested that the UAE seeks to diversify its economy and capitalize on oil sales to bolster revenues before global demand for fossil fuels diminishes. By leaving OPEC and OPEC+, the UAE intends to surpass production quotas, maximize profits, and fund its economic transformation.

The Middle East analyst also pointed to another motive behind the decision: Abu Dhabi’s dissatisfaction with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) response to Iran’s recent strikes on UAE territory.

Earlier, the UAE’s state news agency, WAM, announced that the country would formally exit OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, 2026. Despite this move, the UAE reaffirmed its commitment to stabilizing the global oil market, stating that its future production policies will be guided by international supply and demand dynamics.