Finland ranked first in the Good Country Index published on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Dr Jyrki Pulkkinen, said in a statement in Abuja.
Pulkkinen said the results of the Index indicated that, relative to its size, Finland contributes more to humanity and burdens the planet less than any other country.
“This is the fourth edition of the Good Country Index, which measures 153 countries’ performance and ranks them based on their overall impact on the planet.
“In the recent Index, Finland rose from fourth place to the top. The other leading countries are Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Denmark,” the envoy said.
He quoted his country Minister for Foreign Affairs, Timo Soini, as saying during recognition at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday that “this is an excellent recognition.
“Finland is a good, down-to-earth country and we are a reliable partner in international forums.
“Our performance is the result of consistent work and I witness it in my work on an almost daily basis.
“The recognition is good for Finland’s internal discussion and atmosphere. Let’s be proud of ourselves for a moment and let’s continue to pursue even better results.”
The envoy said that the Good Country Index looks at 35 criteria, based on data produced by the United Nations and other international organisations.
According to him, the criteria produce each country’s “balance sheet”, which shows if the country burdens mankind or if it contributes to the common good of humanity.
“Finland, which is now in first place, ranks best in terms of its journal exports, number of patents, freedom of movement, press freedom, cyber security, refugees generated, environmental agreements compliance, open trading, FDI outflows, and food aid.
“The 35 criteria of the Index are divided into contributions to seven categories: Science and Technology, Culture, International Peace and Security, World Order, Planet and Climate, Prosperity and Equality, as well as Health and Wellbeing.
“After the countries have been analysed, each of them will receive scores on each indicator relative to all other countries measured and corrected for the country’s GDP,” he said.
He said that the first edition of the Good Country Index was launched in 2014 in a TED Talk.
The recording of the launch event has been viewed on the internet for over 5.5 million times, and it has been voted the 5th most inspiring TED Talk ever.
By Isaac Aregbesola
