GENEVA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday welcomed Ethiopia's historic new refugee law which will now allow refugees to obtain work permits and other relevant documentation.

In a statement, UNHCR said the new law would also allow refugees to access primary education, obtain drivers' licenses, legally register life events such as births and marriages and open access to national financial services, such as banking.

"The passage of this historic law represents a significant milestone in Ethiopia's long history of welcoming and hosting refugees from across the region for decades," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

Ethiopia currently hosts over 900,000 refugees, primarily from neighboring South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea, as well as smaller numbers of refugees from Yemen and Syria.

The UN refugee agency noted that Ethiopia's parliament adopted revisions in its existing refugee law on Jan. 17, making it one of the most progressive refugee policies in Africa.

"By allowing refugees the opportunity to be better integrated into society, Ethiopia is not only upholding its international refugee law obligations but is serving as a model for other refugee-hosting nations around the world," said Grandi. Enditem

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