Tributes pour in after death of former US president Jimmy Carter

'America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,' says President Joe Biden

Former US president Jimmy Carter at the Toronto International Film Festival, September 10, 2007, in Toronto. AP

Jimmy Carter's mother, Miss Lillian, right, and his fiancée, Rosalynn Smith, left, at his graduation from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, US, on June 5, 1946. EPA

Mr Carter hugs his wife, Rosalynn, at his Atlanta campaign headquarters, September 15, 1966. AP

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, left, Mr Carter, centre, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the White House after signing the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, March 26, 1979, in Washington. AP

Mr Carter, left, and USSR Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev during a meeting before the signing the SALT II nuclear arms treaty in Vienna, Austria, 15 June 1979. EPA

Mr Carter prepares to make a national television address from the Oval Office at the White House, April 25, 1980, in Washington. AP

Mr Carter, with his wife Rosalynn, daughter Amy and grandson Jason tells supporters at a Washington hotel that he has conceded the election to challenger Ronald Reagan, November 4, 1980. AP

Mr Carter helps erect a frame during a Habitat for Humanity project October 4, 2010 in Washington, DC. AFP

Condolences and tributes have poured in from across the US and around the world after news of the death of former US president Jimmy Carter at the age of 100.

“This is a sad day, but it brings back an incredible amount of good memories,” President Joe Biden said from St Croix, US Virgin Islands. “Today, America and the world, in my view, lost a remarkable leader. He was a statesman and humanitarian, and Jill and I lost a dear friend.”

Mr Biden said he had spoken to Mr Carter's children and that a formal funeral will be held in Washington on January 9, according to The New York Times. “Jimmy Carter stands as a model of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, faith and humility,” he said.

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The former president, who was elected in 1976, died on Sunday, his family said.

“The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude,” president-elect Donald Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network. “Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter family and their loved ones during this difficult time.”

In the Emirates, President Sheikh Mohamed paid tribute to Mr Carter, who met UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, during a visit in 1990. "I extend my sincere condolences to the family of former US president Jimmy Carter, who was a good friend of the UAE," Sheikh Mohamed said. "Together with the late Sheikh Zayed, he laid the foundations for disease eradication efforts that continue to make a meaningful impact today. May he rest in peace."

The UAE-based Reaching the Last Mile organisation, which seeks to eliminate neglected diseases that devastate lives, and is driven by the philanthropy of Sheikh Mohamed, paid tribute to Mr Carter, who was involved with the campaign. "Throughout his life, President Carter worked tirelessly for a better and fairer world, and for the rights of the most vulnerable," it wrote.

"His work through the Carter Centre has bettered countless lives, including by bringing Guinea worm disease to the cusp of elimination. We are privileged to have partnered with him in this goal. We send our deepest condolences to the Carter family. His legacy as a statesman, humanitarian and peacemaker will always be remembered."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Mr Carter “was early to recognise that protecting our shared planet and promoting global public health were vital to national security interests”. Former president Bill Clinton and his wife, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, said: “From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor to his efforts as president to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge … he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.”

Former president George W Bush said: “James Earl Carter Jr was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Centre set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.”

A farmer from rural Georgia, Mr Carter was president for one term, and dedicated his life to various humanitarian causes after leaving the White House.

“President Carter’s story was one of humble beginnings and his life is a testament to the boundless opportunities available in this great nation,” Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson said on X. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said: “President Carter personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion and through integrity.”

Mr Carter's state funeral will be held in Washington on January 9, and he will be buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Carter's legacy

World leaders paid tribute to Mr Carter, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said: “I was very sorry to hear of president Carter's passing and I would like to pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service.

“His presidency will be remembered for the historic Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, and it was that lifelong dedication to peace that saw him receive the Nobel Peace prize. Motivated by his strong faith and values, president Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” King Charles III described the former US president as a “committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace”.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday hailed Mr Carter as “a symbol of humanitarian efforts” for his role in brokering the historic 1978 Camp David Accords, which established peace between Egypt and Israel. “His significant role in achieving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel will remain etched in the annals of history, and his humanitarian work exemplifies a lofty standard of love, peace and brotherhood,” Mr El Sisi said in a post on the social media platform X.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Mr Carter had “been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace. France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people".

World Health Organisation director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Mr Carter's post-presidency work with the non-profit Carter Centre “saved countless lives and helped bring many neglected tropical diseases close to elimination”.

Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hailed Mr Carter as “a lover of democracy and defender of peace”, noting the pressure he put on Brazil's dictatorship to release political prisoners. “He criticised unilateral military action by superpowers and the use of killer drones,” Mr da Silva said. “He worked with Brazil to mediate conflicts in Venezuela and to help Haiti. He will be remembered forever as a name that defends the idea that peace is the most important condition for development.”

Mr Carter's wife, Rosalynn Carter, died in November last year. They are survived by their four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love,” said his son, Chip Carter. “My brothers, sister and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”

Grandson Jason Carter, chairman of the board of trustees of the Carter Centre, said in a message to partners of the centre: "I thank you for all you have done to fulfil his vision of a world at peace that respects and promotes equal human rights for all, reducing human suffering. Your partnership in our work is a testament to his legacy, and I can assure you that the remarkable people at the centre will continue the important work he has led us in for over 40 years. We appreciate your continued friendship."

Paige Alexander, the centre's chief executive, added: "Today, we lost a cherished friend, inspiring mentor, and courageous leader with the passing of former president Jimmy Carter. The world lost a great humanitarian and man of integrity, vision, and depth."