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
"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. Video 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 cannot 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 don'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."


While Mugabe and his thieves steal their country blind.

Why is America giving cash to Zimbabwe??? According to official U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) numbers, households on
food stamps increased by 45,900 in one
month, hitting a staggering new high in June of
23.117 million households, with an additional
125,079 individuals signing up for
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) benefits, a near-record 47.76 million
people that is just below the December 2012
peak of 47.79 million.
More than 80% of those families receiving food
stamp benefits are at or below the poverty
line, with more than 61% of households
drastically below the poverty line. Why isn't this money going to aid the American poor???

I'm sure that 73 million americans can think of better ways to spend the money...heck we'll each take a doller....

this is tt insanity

one more GOOD reason to impeach him...who voted for this to be OK?

Us aid in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=945o082y3og
"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."

Sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved either without the truth. In economies where dishonesty is all-pervasive, corruption eats up honest people’s livelihoods, and where there is no protection of property rights, failure is always the net result.

Stoopid in the highest Degree!

Once again Obozo chooses to help a "friend" who is known as a butcher of "whites".

1000's of white farmers in his country have been slaughtered under his plan to clean Africa of the "imperialist white pigs"!

So let's send him money to help with that

Typical Obozo play..... anything against whites, or America, and you can count on him to support it!

Im just going to point out key words,,,

'in aid'

'not be going to the government'

'directly to the people'

,,,and also, Im going to share other 'aid' that us regularly gives each year,, even BEFORE This administration


7.9 million people of Israel - 3.1 billion
80 million in Egypt - 1.5 billion
120 million in Mexico - 205 million
13 million in Zimbabwe - now receiving 73 million


http://www.foreignassistance.gov/web/CountryIntro.aspx

foreign aid is a constant part of the budget,,,just saying,,,,

Yeah,right!
It's great how we see evidence of all that other Aid to Zimbabwe!!
It is blooming and thriving!
The greatest service Mugabe could render to his People,if he Up and Died,that Leech!
Where do you think past Aid to Zimi ended up?

Americans have no problem helping those in need.
USAID reaches 20 billion per year to several needy countries. What is wrong is giving our tax dollars to countries with dictator thieves like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. He has stolen billions from his people while they starve. Where is the gold? Where is the palladium? Where are the diamonds? Zimbabwe is rich in resources but he doesn't give the people anything.
Just sayin....

I don't know, I don't have a way to track every dollar that has gone to any of the abovementioned countries,,,

but I do know the US BUDGET sets aside a very small amount for international relations, which includes foreign aid , which has been going out to many , many countries for as long as I can remember,,

That Guy in the WH could poop on someone's Head,and you think it was appropriate!

you do know its part of the US BUDGET to give foreign aid?,, That the President doesn't personally deliver it to anyone?


he could walk on water and this crowd would complain about how his feet got wet,,,,,

but if and when he poops on someones head OR walk on water,, let me know

till then he is an American president who has to work with a congress and has done it no more or less perfectly than any other president,,,,not that other presidents had the type of obstacle/congress this one had,,,or the conditions

but yeah, he gets his feet wet sometimes too,,,,

Borrowing money to give aid to other countries is about as stupid as stupid gets from a financial stand point. We take military action to free people who eventually hate us, but they hate us only after we rebuild their country instead of fixing our own infrastructure.

Our foreign policy is so illogical no other country has, or will, ever consider using as much of their budget as a percentage of GDP to "help" others.

In recent history if our government was logical it would have taken control of the Iraqi oil supply until the military cost of their freedom was returned, the families of the soldiers who lost their lives were compensated and wounded vets were taken care of.

The new budget cut COLA increases to retired vets while the foreign aid budget didn't suffer. It's disgraceful. It's been said charity begins at home, something our government obviously doesn't believe.

MsH, The president oversees every dollar that is given in USAID once it is appropriated by congress. The Office of the Inspector General reports directly to him and issues quarterly reports to him.

deprtment of state handles foreign aid

PResidents don't have the time to follow EVERY dollar of any part of the budget..

they can REVIEW whats on paper,, that's about it,, and paper doesn't break down EVERY DOLLAR INDIVDIUALLY, it categorizes

Deprtment of state/ Office of the Inspector general basically same thing.

You mean like the "aid" we gave the Shah, or Ghadaffi, or Bibi, or Saddam, or Bin Laden, or Egypt, or anywhere else, that the people never see except in the form of cars, homes, jewelery, bank accts, and private military guards for whoever the present dictator might be?

PROVEN!

its a ridiculous generalization (surprise ),


of course money gets into the hands of the rich, but it also goes towards helping people

in Egypt, for instance

there is much medical aid and charity there, I know because my brother lives there,,and works in the medical field