BREAKING: UAE Quits OPEC as Iran War Crisis Drives Oil Above $111; King Charles Urges US-UK Unity Amid Strains
April 29, 2026 (Juba Global) — In a day of seismic global developments, the United Arab Emirates announced its departure from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) effective May 1, dealing a historic blow to the oil cartel as the ongoing Iran-US-Israel conflict continues to roil energy markets and global geopolitics.
UAE Leaves OPEC Amid Gulf Fractures
The United Arab Emirates, OPEC’s third-largest oil producer, confirmed on Tuesday that it is quitting both OPEC and the broader OPEC+ alliance, effective this Friday. The shock departure comes as an unprecedented energy crisis caused by the Iran war exposes deep discord among Gulf nations.
UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei told CNN that Abu Dhabi chose to leave now because the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, meaning the impact of its exit on the oil market would be limited. The UAE cited its long-term strategic vision and the need for greater flexibility to increase oil production to meet growing global energy demand.
The departure represents a significant win for US President Donald Trump, who has long accused OPEC of artificially inflating oil prices. The UAE holds the second-highest spare production capacity within the OPEC group and was considered a crucial swing producer capable of increasing output to stabilize global markets.
Oil Surges Above $111 as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Deepens
Brent crude oil surged past $111 per barrel on Wednesday, approaching the $120 mark, as fears intensify over prolonged shipping disruptions through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have rocketed by more than 82% so far this year, sending shockwaves through the global economy.
US gasoline prices have climbed sharply, with the national average hitting $4.23 per gallon, according to the New York Times. President Trump warned Iran to “better get smart soon” in a provocative social media post, while the US considers an Iranian proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz but delay nuclear talks.
Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz—through which about 20% of the world’s oil passes—effectively closed, with billboards in Tehran reading “The Strait of Hormuz remains closed.” The crisis has pushed global food and fuel prices higher, hitting developing nations across Africa especially hard.
King Charles Addresses US Congress Amid Iran Divisions
King Charles III made history with a rare address to the US Congress on Tuesday, calling for unity between the United States and United Kingdom “in times of great uncertainty.” The state visit, which included an elaborate White House state dinner hosted by President Trump, comes amid deep divisions between Washington and London over the Iran war.
The British government has differed sharply with the Trump administration over the conflict with Tehran. King Charles, invoking Queen Elizabeth II’s historic 1957 visit, emphasized that the UK and US will always be “staunch allies united in defending democracy.”
Trump, at the state dinner, claimed that King Charles “agrees with me even more than I do” on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, though Buckingham Palace has not commented on that characterization.
France Urges Citizens to Leave Mali as Security Collapses
In another major development Wednesday, France issued an urgent advisory calling on all its nationals to leave Mali “as soon as possible” due to escalating security risks and coordinated attacks. The French foreign ministry described the security situation as “extremely volatile” and strongly discouraged all travel to the Sahel nation.
The evacuation warning signals a further deterioration in West Africa’s security landscape, where Russian-affiliated mercenaries have increasingly filled the void left by departing Western forces.
South Sudan: 7.8 Million Face Acute Hunger, UN Warns
Close to home, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF issued a dire warning Wednesday that 7.8 million people in South Sudan—approximately 56% of the population—are projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2026.
The agencies said 73,300 people are facing Catastrophe-level hunger, with 2.5 million in Emergency conditions and 5.3 million in Crisis. Child malnutrition has reached alarming levels, with 2.2 million children aged six months to five years currently acutely malnourished—an increase of 100,000 in just six months.
Humanitarian organizations warn of a credible risk of famine in parts of Upper Nile and Jonglei states if conflict continues and humanitarian access remains restricted. The crisis is being driven by escalating conflict, mass displacement, economic decline, climate shocks, and weak agricultural production—all compounded by the global ripple effects of the Iran conflict driving up food and fuel prices.
Sudan Conference Raises €1.5 Billion, but Crisis Deepens
The Third International Sudan Conference in London secured pledges of more than €1.5 billion ($1.77 billion) in humanitarian aid for war-torn Sudan. However, UN officials warn that Sudan remains an “abandoned crisis” as its devastating civil war enters its fourth year. The $2.8 billion humanitarian appeal for 2026 remains only 16% funded.
Meanwhile, children across Sudan’s Darfur region are at “breaking point” as they face extreme hunger and violence, UNICEF reported this week.
What This Means for Africa and South Sudan
The convergence of these global crises presents an acute challenge for African nations. Soaring oil prices are driving up transportation and food costs across the continent. South Africa’s National Treasury has already extended temporary fuel levy reductions to cushion the blow of rising fuel prices. The African Union this week convened member states to coordinate the continent’s priorities ahead of the 2026 US-led G20 presidency.
For South Sudan, the dual shocks of a deepening humanitarian crisis and global economic turbulence could prove catastrophic. The world’s youngest nation, already grappling with the aftermath of last week’s devastating plane crash near Juba that killed 15 people, now faces the specter of widespread famine.
— Reporting by the Juba Global News Team
