DUBAI, 05 July 2021, (TON): The United Arab Emirates pushed back against a plan by the OPEC oil cartel and allied producing countries to extend the global pact to cut oil production beyond April 2022, a rare statement revealing the country’s frustration with the group.

According to state-run news agency “the Emirati Ministry of Energy called the proposal to extend the agreement for the entirety of 2022 without raising its production quota “unfair to the UAE”.

One of the group’s largest oil producers, the UAE is seeking to increase its output, setting up a contest with ally and OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia, which has led a push to keep a tight lid on production.

The combined OPEC Plus grouping of members led by Saudi Arabia and non-members, chief among them Russia, failed to reach an agreement on oil output. Negotiations over the dispute are set to resume Monday.

The UAE said it supported plans for output increases over the summer, believing the market to be “in dire need of higher production.” The country suggested deferring the whole discussion of the agreement’s extension to a later meeting and appealed for an updated production quota that “reflects our current production capacity.”