The Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al-Ghais, revealed on Wednesday that the organization is in discussions with four countries: Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Brunei, and Mexico, regarding joining its membership. Al-Ghais stated in an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that "consultations with new countries outside the organization contribute to enhancing the cohesion and strength of OPEC."
Additionally, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that Azerbaijan's Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, mentioned that his country "is not currently considering joining the organization." A statement on Wednesday noted that the OPEC ministers met on the sidelines of the eighth OPEC Forum in Vienna to review market conditions.
