![\"Oil](\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1583532452513-a02186582ccd?w=1200&q=80\")
\n\n\n\nJUBA, South Sudan \u2014<\/strong> In a seismic shift for global energy markets, the United Arab Emirates announced Wednesday it will exit the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) effective May 1, 2026 \u2014 a move that President Donald Trump called “great” for lowering gas prices, even as the Iran war continues to push crude above $111 per barrel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UAE, OPEC’s third-largest producer and a key swing supplier, cited its long-term strategic vision and desire for production flexibility. The decision comes as the Iran-U.S. conflict \u2014 now in its third month \u2014 has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, seized commercial vessels, and sent shockwaves through the world economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brent crude surged 9% in the past week alone and has skyrocketed 82% since the start of 2026, reaching levels not seen in over a decade. The Pentagon confirmed Wednesday that the Iran war has already cost an estimated $25 billion<\/strong>, mostly in munitions and military operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UAE’s departure from OPEC marks the most dramatic realignment in the cartel’s 66-year history. The Emirates holds the second-highest spare production capacity within OPEC and was a critical swing producer capable of calming markets. Its exit signals deep fractures within the alliance as Middle East tensions spiral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iranian forces have seized two commercial ships in recent days, accusing them of violating restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 through which about 20% of the world’s oil passes. The White House defended a continued blockade of Iranian ports, insisting it gives the U.S. “maximum leverage over the regime,” even as American households face soaring fuel costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The crisis is hitting Africa especially hard. South Africa\u2019s National Treasury extended emergency fuel levy relief and cut diesel levies to zero as pump prices skyrocket. Across the continent, nations already grappling with debt and food insecurity are now battered by energy inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In South Sudan, the crisis compounds a dire humanitarian emergency. A UN-backed report published Tuesday warns that 7.8 million people \u2014 56% of the population \u2014 face acute hunger<\/strong>. More than 700,000 children are at grave risk of death from malnutrition. Ongoing conflict, displacement, and spillover from Sudan\u2019s civil war have pushed the world\u2019s youngest nation to the brink of famine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, discussing both the Iran and Ukraine wars. Putin warned against “damaging consequences” of further U.S. military action in Iran, while offering to help remove enriched uranium from the country. Trump said the two conflicts could end on a “similar timetable.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is expected to leave the Middle East in the coming days after a year-long deployment, though no ceasefire deal with Iran has been finalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Analysis from the Colombia Conference on Monday warned that the Middle East oil crunch could impose as much as $1 trillion<\/strong> in additional costs on the global economy, even as oil companies rake in record profits from elevated fuel prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the UAE prepares to chart its own oil future and the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, the world watches \u2014 and pays \u2014 for a crisis with no end in sight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" JUBA, South Sudan \u2014 In a seismic shift for global energy markets, the United Arab…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1199,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[830],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breaking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1199"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7626"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7626\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Global Energy Shock<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Impact on Africa and South Sudan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diplomatic Maneuvers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n