Tanzania's Foreign Minister January Makamba pointed out that his country was among the first to recognise Palestine as a state - while calling for 'substantive' changes to the United Nations Security Council and more 'respect' for the African continent - during an interview in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

"Tanzania is one of the first countries to recognise Palestine many, many years back. Our position is clear that the major part of the solution to what's going on there is two states side by side in peace and security," he said.

Last week, Norway, Ireland and Spain all announced that they were set to recognise the state of Palestine, despite strong condemnation from Israel, amid the ongoing Gaza war.

"They (Palestinians) have the right to self-determination, they have the right to dignity, and they have the right to their own state, and their vote in the General Assembly demonstrated that, and that the entire family of nations believe that it's about time now that the Palestinians also have their home," he continued.

The foreign minister hit out at those seeking to pressurise Africa, in terms of which partners it chose.

"That's the wrong formation, that Africa is a piece of geopolitical chessboard. We absolutely do not want to see ourselves as a pawn and it's extremely wrong to see Africa as such," he said.

"We have the resources for us to be at the central stage of global politics and economics and trade, as it has always been the case," he continued. "So we find it offensive to be asked to choose this one particular partner or the other. I think part of the respect that Africa should have, Africa should demand, is to us to not be asked as to who should work with, who should partner with. I think we should be allowed, each country individually, or Africa as a continent, should be allowed to pursue their interests without the pressure."

Makamba also condemned the current make-up of the United Nations Security Council, but added that key changes were needed rather than simply just more representation for Africa.

"If you expand it … but the modus operandi is the same, that one country can choose one direction and all of us have to somehow go along with it. We know we have no choice. So the issue is not the expansion of the Security Council. The issue is how can we have a system in which the majority carry the day," he said. "So the reforms that we're talking about are much deeper…. It cannot be a talking representation, you know, for people to say that they were here, but then the decisions are made that are not in your interest."