Addis Ababa, Nov 20 (IANS): The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has called for enhanced protection measures for Eritrean asylum-seekers arriving in Ethiopia.

"The Eritrean asylum-seekers have entered into Ethiopia through its northern regions of Afar and Tigray, seeking international protection and basic assistance," the UN Refugee Agency said in a statement released on Wednesday.

According to the agency, an estimated 20,000 Eritreans have crossed into Ethiopia since January, joining the more than 70,000 Eritrean refugees already registered in the country.

"Supporting these arrivals at an early stage is crucial," said the agency, noting that registration and documentation are critical to advancing refugees' protection.

The UNHCR expressed readiness to support the Ethiopian government to expand access to registration for Eritrean asylum-seekers, saying that registration is pivotal in providing access to basic services such as healthcare, education, family reunification, and the right to work in Ethiopia.

"The swift registration of asylum-seekers can reduce the risk of human trafficking among others," the agency added, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ethiopia is the third-largest host of refugees in Africa, home to over one million refugees and asylum-seekers mainly from neighboring South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea, according to the UNHCR.