WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- The United States will provide $ 73 million in aid to Zimbabwe , President Obama announced Friday after meeting with Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at the White House . President Obama ( right ) praised Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at the White House on Friday . `` I obviously have extraordinary admiration for the courage and tenacity that the prime minister has shown in navigating through some very difficult political times in Zimbabwe , '' Obama said . `` There was a time when Zimbabwe was the breadbasket of Africa , and [ it ] continues to have enormous potential . It has gone through a very dark and difficult time politically . '' Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe `` has not acted oftentimes in the best interest of the Zimbabwean people and has been resistant to the democratic changes that need to take place , '' Obama said . `` We now have a power-sharing agreement that shows promise , and we want to do everything we can to encourage the kinds of improvement not only on human rights and rule of law , freedom of the press and democracy that is so necessary , but also on the economic front . '' The U.S. aid will not be going to the government directly `` because we continue to be concerned about consolidating democracy , human rights and rule of law , '' Obama said . `` But it will be going directly to the people in Zimbabwe . '' In a CNN interview following his meeting with Obama , Tsvangirai said he is grateful for the generosity . `` Whether it is humanitarian aid or transitional support , it adds up to the relief that Zimbabwe is seeking , '' he said . Watch Tsvangirai discuss importance of aid to Zimbabwe » . Tsvangirai said he told Obama he would like the United States to use its global influence to assist Zimbabwe in dealing with the challenges it faces . Tsvangirai said he understood other nations ' reluctance to support the Zimbabwean government , given Mugabe 's controversial history . `` I think it 's fair , '' he said . `` I understand it , given our history , and I 'm not going to defend President Mugabe . '' But , he noted , the two have agreed to work together and help Zimbabwe progress as a nation . In remarks with Obama , Tsvangirai said progress has been made by the transitional government , but much remains to be done . `` It is the problems of implementation , '' he said . `` ... even by the standard of our own benchmarks , there are gaps that still exist . '' He said he would continue to strive to meet those benchmarks , not for the international community , but because `` it gives [ the ] people of Zimbabwe freedom and opportunity to grow . '' The power-sharing arrangement between Tsvangirai , the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change , and Mugabe came after contested elections last year . `` Of course we can not brush away that history , that sad history , '' Tsvangirai told CNN . But he said he is hoping the country will heal and move forward , and wants even those skeptical of Mugabe to appreciate the transition process . Asked whether he believes Mugabe should retire , Tsvangirai said `` at the age of 85 , I think one needs to retire . '' But , he said , for his own legacy , it 's important for him to be thinking about a `` dignified exit . '' `` I think that [ the power-sharing government ] provides him with this opportunity , '' Tsvangirai said . Asked about his relationship with Mugabe , he said , `` We do n't have to fall in love to work together . But we have accepted that we have made an agreement to have a workable relationship between the two political parties . '' He said there had been acrimony between the two , but they realized it was not helping the Zimbabwean people . `` We are inspired by people like Nelson Mandela , who had to go for 27 years in jail but still come out and say , 'Let 's forget about the past ' ... '' he said . He and Mugabe have chosen the process of dialogue rather than violence , Tsvangirai said . `` Let history judge whether this historic experiment was the right course of action . '' CNN 's Elise Labott contributed to this report .
President Obama praises Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai , offers $ 73 million in aid . Score: 6 Tsvangirai on Mugabe relationship : `` We do n't have to fall in love to work together ''