(Reuters) - OPEC's new secretary general said that Russia's membership in OPEC+ is vital for the success of the agreement, Kuwait's Alrai newspaper reported on Sunday, quoting an exclusive interview with Haitham al-Ghais.

Al-Ghais added that OPEC is not in competition with Russia, which he called a big main player in the world energy map, Alrai reported.

(Reporting by Moataz Mohamed and Nayera Abdallah; editing by Philippa Fletcher)