As Europe grapples with its debt crises and the situation in the Middle East, a conflict is unfolding to the south – a conflict that could leave hundreds and thousands of people without food, homes and water.

The conflict is in Africa, between Sudan and South Sudan. South Sudan broke away from Sudan last year after a self-determination vote for independence, though there had been strife for decades. That vote was guaranteed in a mediated end to decades of civil war between the two sides – the UN feted South Sudan as the world’s newest nation. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, previously sought for war crimes and still accused of genocide, was brought back into the fold.

But the sides never fully agreed where their shared border lay, nor did they reach agreement on how to share oil wealth that is pumped from the border region.

Instead, the two countries have seen a sharp increase in violence in recent weeks, especially around the oil-producing town of Heglig. Both sides claim Heglig as their own. It lies in a region where the border was never clearly defined.

And now, the UN Secretary General has had to intervene and appeal for both sides to take a step back from war. As we know, the world depends on oil. That might not be the ideal situation, but that is the truth. The world economy ticks according to the price of oil and the Sudans are two nations that produce it. What we have to understand, even here in tiny Malta, is that if anything happens in any oil producing nation, it has a ripple effect on the whole industry. Even if it is a minor producer, it creates unrest in the markets and pushes the benchmark price up.

Ban Ki Moon has called on South Sudan to immediately withdraw its forces from the Heglig area, calling their invasion “an infringement on the sovereignty of Sudan and a clearly illegal act.” He called on the government of Sudan to immediately stop shelling and bombing South Sudanese territory and withdraw its forces from disputed territories including Abyei.

But of course, the real victims are the people of this far off land. “This is not the time for war. This is a time for leadership, for engagement, for negotiation — in the name of humanity, and in the interests of the people of both countries and the region.”

“The last thing the people of these two countries need is another war — a war that could claim countless lives, destroy hope and ruin the prospects of peace and stability and prosperity of all Sudanese people,” Ban said.

China has a large stake in the Sudans’ oil industries and could become a major player in any negotiations. The US might also have a role to play, but whether they will get to the negotiating table or not has yet to be seen. Sudan has a long history of violence, militia and lawless Bedouin. This, along with the military conflict, could lead to further breakdown of society.