Finland is naturally proud of its recent designations by international organizations as being one of the most competitive and least corrupt countries in the world, Matti Anttonen, its second ranking official in the United States, told GlobalAtlanta in a filmed interview.

But its success as a nation has primarily depended on its educational system, which the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Paris-based group representing 30 industrialized countries, has cited as being one of the most successful.

Based on its strengths, the country has cited innovation and competitiveness as heading its agenda during the six months from July 1 until the end of the year while holding the presidency of the European Council, the body that bring together the heads of state of the European Union member countries to discuss policy issues.

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Finland’s dignitaries are particularly active these days both abroad and at home during the country’s six-month presidency of the council and are promoting a wide-ranging agenda from improving the clarity of the EU’s legislation to reaching a new consensus on the EU’s enlargement.

Mr. Anttonen is the deputy chief of mission at Finland’s embassy in Washington, making him the second most senior official there, second only to the ambassador.

His Atlanta visit on Nov. 9 included members of the Finnish business community and John Saunders, a partner at Smith, Gambrell, who serves as Finland’s honorary consul here. Later in the day Mr. Anttonen traveled to Macon where he spoke at the 6th Annual Georgia European Summit and Reception that evening.

During the interview he said that Finland has focused on Europe’s economic competitiveness as a major theme of its presidency. He added that it is in a good position to do so because the World Economic Forum, the Geneva-based organization that has been bringing together the world’s business and political leaders since 1971, named its economy as one of the most competitive in the world.

In addition, Transparency International, a global network of more than 90 locally established national chapters dedicated to fighting corruption, recently named Finland one of the least corrupt countries in the world.

According to Mr. Anttonen, competitiveness and honesty go hand-in-hand.

While acknowledging that it is easier for a small country to perform better in competitive rankings than larger ones, he underscored the importance of education in the country’s economic success.

Finland’s labor force as a whole, he said, can read, write and understand math enabling its workers on the factory floor to operate the most technical machines.

“There are three reasons for Finland’s success,” he said, “education, education, and education.”

The Paris-based OECD group’s measurement of achievement by 15- and 16-year-old students in math, sciences and reading comprehension is the only global assessment of educational attainment, he said.

He also praised the efficiency of not having corrupt business practices. “There is not so much checking of bad practices when bad practices don’t exist,” he said.

Click to learn more about Finland. Mr. Anttonen may be reached by calling the embassy at (202) 298-5803.

For more information, go to Transparency International and OECD.