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“They thought we would pay the money through intimidation,” Magufuli said in a speech reported by the English-language Citizen newspaper. “We will not. We will pursue the issue through legal channels.”

But the president’s diplomatic entreaties — his missive was delivered in person by the country’s foreign minister — appear to have been for naught.

In a letter Trudeau sent back, released to the National Post, the prime minister said he couldn’t do anything while the case is before the courts.

“It is unfortunate that this situation has delayed the delivery of the aircraft,” Trudeau wrote. “However … the government of Canada is not in a position to intervene. We are confident that the court will adjudicate in the highest order of professionalism and impartiality.”

The plane, with a list price of $32 million, was one of five ordered from the Montreal-based company for state-run Air Tanzania, part of a push to attract more tourists by improving travel options.

One then fell prey to a dispute over a road-construction project by British-registered Stirling Civil Engineering, which appears to operate chiefly from a base in Uganda.

The Tanzanian government cancelled the contract before it was finished and refused to pay Stirling, according to local news reports. An arbitration court then reportedly awarded the firm $28 million for its work, plus interest.