FIJI has learnt not be dismayed by those with more powers that try to dictate how a country should be run, says Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.
He made the remarks at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Leaders Summit that was held on Thursday and Friday in Teheran, the capital of Iran.
In his address to the chairman of NAM, Ratu Kubuabola said NAM's theme "Lasting Peace through Joint Global Governance" was timely given the multi-faceted global challenges threatening sovereign nations and undermine collective efforts to maintain international peace and security.
"Fiji has learnt not to give in to the bullying tactics of powerful States, who on one hand, claim to champion rights and freedoms but on the other, have less to no regard for the rights of sovereign States to determine their own affairs consistent with the needs and aspirations of their people.
"Instead, we remain strong and fully engage with those that are more understanding towards our cause; those which truly respect the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference," he said.
Ratu Kubuabola added it was imperative that discrimination based on neocolonialist categorisations that make some inferior than others not be condoned.
"To do otherwise clearly undermines the founding principles and objectives of the movement and of the UN Charter," he said.
He challenged members of the NAM to pursue a new international order based on inclusiveness, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality and justice.
"We have to find common ground and take advantage of our numbers to advance our interests as a group. We should take comfort in our strength and be more aggressive in our common endeavour to ensure that we have in place a system of global governance that is reflective of our interests," Ratu Inoke said.