Crises in South Sudan, Central African Republic, Iraq, and Syria will remain top humanitarian priorities in 2015, the United Nation Office for Humanitarian Affairs has announced.

Yesterday in Geneva, OCHA launched $16 billion to tackle an unprecedented level of crisis around the world next year.

The aid will be used to help 57 million people in 22 countries.

UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos said over 80 % of the fund will be used to help countries hindered by conflict.

Ms. Amos said there is a sharp rise in the number of people affected by conflict especially in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

“Responding to people’s suffering must be a shared responsibility and there must be a determined collective effort through 2015 to close the growing gap between needs and resources,” she said in a statement.

She said as crises become more complex and goes on longer, the gap between needs and resources grows.

The other major crises covered by the fund are in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Palestine territory, Somalia, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen.