Saudia Arabia’s plan to increase oil output has caused a rift between fellow Opec members, reports the BBC (4/7/00).

The announcement, which will see the world’s biggest exporter increase output by an extra 500,000 barrels per day, saw Opec President Ali Rodriguez say that discussions were essential before any decisions were to be made, and that decisions were made by consensus.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

General Mohammad Rashid, Iraq’s Oil Minister, joined in the criticism by accusing Saudi Arabia of bowing to US pressure, while neglecting the interests of their own people and that of Opec.

And the organisation’s second largest producer, Iran, described the Saudi plan as “news hype”, saying that the Saudis had no reason to act unilaterally. Criticism was also echoed by Kuwait and Venezuela.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi however reassured Opec partners by saying that the kingdom will not act unilaterally.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact