World leaders have paid tribute to former US President Jimmy Carter following his death on Sunday at age 100, with President Michael D Higgins describing the Nobel Peace Prize winner as “principled man” dedicated to advancing peace around the world.
Carter, the longest-surviving president in American history, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981, and spent the decades afterward focused on international relations and human rights.
“President Carter will be remembered as a principled man who dedicated his life to seeking to advance the cause of peace across the world. His exceptional contribution was in his quest to understand the obstacles to peace,” Mr Higgins said in a statement.
“I cannot think of anyone who would be more appalled at the images on the television screens of the world of tiny children, a few weeks old or less, being buried having died from hypothermia, their mothers malnourished and the last of their working hospitals razed,” Mr Higgins added, without specifying any one conflict.
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Mr Higgins noted that, “almost uniquely” for an American president, “his greatest legacy will however perhaps be his distinguished record and commitment to human rights in the decades following his Presidency”. Mr Carter is the only US president to receive a Nobel Peace Prize after leaving office.
Mr Higgins met Mr Carter on a number of occasions, in Ireland, Central America and Africa, he said, and noted the late president’s recognition of “the potential role of the United States in support for the efforts at achieving peace in Northern Ireland”.
“I know from my conversations with President Carter, that this was an interest which he retained in the decades after he left office,” he said.
The president also acknowledged Mr Carter’s work to attain peace in the Middle East through the 1978 Camp David Accords, negotiations with the Soviet Union and his establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China.
“On behalf of the people of Ireland, may I express my sympathies to President Carter’s children and extended family, to President Joe Biden, to the people of the United States, and to his wide circle of colleagues and friends across the globe.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris said that Mr Carter served as president with “distinction and decency”, and then forged “an enduring legacy as a global statesman and human rights pioneer”.
“His work in the Middle East remains of global significance and is a reminder of the moral obligation on the world leaders of today as a humanitarian catastrophe on an unprecedented scale unfolds there now,” Mr Harris said.
“Jimmy Carter’s legacy is a reminder of what diplomacy can achieve, the peace deal he helped to forge between Israel and Egypt stands to this day.”
Mr Harris said that Mr Carter was a “keen supporter” of peace in Ireland, and “a respected voice on the road to the Good Friday Agreement”.
“The world has lost a great humanitarian, the United States has lost a great President, and a family has lost a wonderful decent man.”
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr Carter, noting his “deep commitment to peace in the Middle East, human and civil rights, housing and ending the arms race between the US and the Soviet Union”.
“The personification of public service, his work extended to our own island, as he took the first decisive steps to proactive and transformational US engagement on Northern Ireland. This commitment to peace in Ireland endures today,” Mr Martin said.
“A humanitarian to the end, my condolences go to President Carter’s family, friends and the American people.”
US President Joe Biden said the United States and the world had lost a “remarkable leader” after the death of former president Jimmy Carter. He said his predecessor represented “the most fundamental human values we can never let slip away”.
Asked if there were any lessons President-elect Donald Trump could learn from Mr Carter, he answered: “Decency, decency, decency”.
“Jimmy Carter stands as a model for it means to live a life of meaning and purpose,” he said.
“I see a man not only not our times, but for all time. We could all do well to be a little more like Jimmy Carter.
“My team is working with his family and others to see to it that he is remembered appropriately.”
President-elect Donald Trump 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.”
Claire Cronin, the outgoing US ambassador to Ireland, said that Mr Carter was “a remarkable statesman, humanitarian, and a man whose unwavering commitment to peace and justice has left an indelible mark on our world”.
She cited his contributions to peace in the Middle East – namely the Camp David Accords – and his work on the Northern Ireland peace process as among his greatest achievements.
“As we reflect on President Carter’s remarkable legacy, we are reminded of his profound influence and the lessons he imparted through his words and actions,” she added. “His legacy of compassion and service stands as a guiding light, reminding us all of the impact one individual can have in making the world a better place.” – Additional reporting PA
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