Conflicts and major disagreements within OPEC usually go unnoticed as member states use consultation and decision-making mechanisms that prevent a public mess. The UAE’s recent decision to do the unexpected was therefore a shock to the international oil market. Although a production deal has been struck, the recent conflict could be a sign that more instability can be expected in the near future. The most recent disagreement over an increase of the baseline production rights, pits the UAE and Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s de-facto leader and the Emirates’ most important ally, against each other. Though the interests of the two Arab states have been diverging for a while that can be seen in the economic and geopolitical spheres. The UAE took a gamble by deciding to increase the stakes and publicly challenge OPEC and Saudi Arabia over their reluctance to increase the baseline. The Emirates have invested billions to increase […]