Jimmy Carter — the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as US president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work — died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday. He was 100.

US President Joe Biden directed that January 9 will be a national day of mourning throughout the United States for Carter, the White House said in a statement.

“I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter,” Biden said.

Carter, a Democrat, became president in January 1977 after defeating incumbent Republican president Gerald Ford in the 1976 election. His one-term presidency was marked by the highs of the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, bringing some stability to the Middle East.

But it was also dogged by an economic recession, persistent unpopularity and the Iran hostage crisis that consumed his final 444 days in office. Carter ran for re-election in 1980 but was swept from office in a landslide as voters embraced Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, the former actor and California governor.

Carter lived longer than any US president and, after leaving the White House, earned a reputation as a committed humanitarian. He was widely seen as a better former president than he was a president — a status he readily acknowledged.

World leaders and former US presidents paid tribute to a man they praised as compassionate, humble and committed to peace in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Carter would “long be remembered for his humility and statesmanship as well as his advocacy for global peace and contribution to humanitarian causes”.

“Saddened to learn of the passing away of former US president Jimmy Carter. I offer my sincere condolences to his family members and the American people,” PM Shehbaz said on X.

“His significant role in achieving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel will remain etched in the annals of history,” said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a post on X.

The Carter Center said there will be public observances in Atlanta and Washington. These events will be followed by a private interment in Plains, it said. Final arrangements for the former president’s state funeral are still pending, according to the centre.

In recent years, Carter had experienced several health issues including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter decided to receive hospice care in February 2023 instead of undergoing additional medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, died on Nov 19, 2023, at age 96. He looked frail when he attended her memorial service and funeral in a wheelchair.

Carter left office profoundly unpopular but worked energetically for decades on humanitarian causes. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

Carter had been a centrist as governor of Georgia with populist tendencies when he moved into the White House as the 39th US president. He was a Washington outsider at a time when America was still reeling from the Watergate scandal that led Republican Richard Nixon to resign as president in 1974 and elevated Ford from vice president.

“I’m Jimmy Carter and I’m running for president. I will never lie to you,” Carter promised with an ear-to-ear smile.

Asked to assess his presidency, Carter said in a 1991 documentary: “The biggest failure we had was a political failure. I never was able to convince the American people that I was a forceful and strong leader.”

Despite his difficulties in office, Carter had few rivals for accomplishments as a former president. He gained global acclaim as a tireless human rights advocate, a voice for the disenfranchised and a leader in the fight against hunger and poverty, winning the respect that eluded him in the White House.

Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to promote human rights and resolve conflicts around the world, from Ethiopia and Eritrea to Bosnia and Haiti. His Carter Center in Atlanta sent international election-monitoring delegations to polls around the world.

A Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher since his teens, Carter brought a strong sense of morality to the presidency, speaking openly about his religious faith. He also sought to take some pomp out of an increasingly imperial presidency - walking, rather than riding in a limousine, in his 1977 inauguration parade.

The Middle East was the focus of Carter’s foreign policy. The 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, based on the 1978 Camp David Accords, ended a state of war between the two neighbours.

Carter brought Egypt’s president Anwar Sadat and then-Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland for talks. Later, as the accords seemed to be unravelling, Carter saved the day by flying to Cairo and Jerusalem for personal shuttle diplomacy.

The treaty provided for Israeli withdrawal from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and the establishment of diplomatic relations. Begin and Sadat each won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1978.

By the 1980 election, the overriding issues were double-digit inflation, interest rates that exceeded 20 per cent and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis that brought humiliation to America. These issues marred Carter’s presidency and undermined his chances of winning a second term.

World leaders react

China offered its deep condolences over Carter’s death, saying the former US president was the “driving force” behind the establishment of diplomatic ties between both countries more than 40 years ago.

“China expresses its deep condolences on the passing of former United States President Jimmy Carter,” said Mao Ning, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry.

“Former president Carter was the driving force behind the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, and made important contributions to the development of China-United States relations and the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries,” Mao said at a regular news conference.

The decision by Carter’s administration to acknowledge 1979 Beijing’s position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China, and to sever formal ties with Taiwan, helped chart a new course in ties.

“His historic contribution to the normalisation and development of China-US relations will always be remembered by the Chinese people,” Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, wrote in a post on X.

In the same year, 1979, the US government, while adhering to its One-China policy, also passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which established a legal basis to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.

US weapons sales to Taiwan allowed by the Taiwan Relations Act remain a point of friction in Sino-US ties to this day, with Beijing regularly urging Washington to adhere to its One-China principle, and laying sanctions on US military suppliers and corporate executives.

Other pacts signed during Carter’s tenure included the US-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) in 1979, a science cooperation deal that some critics say has disproportionately benefited Washington’s top geopolitical rival over the decades.

The pact was renewed this month, weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan 20 inauguration. The State Department said the new deal is significantly narrower than previous iterations, and does not cover critical or emerging technologies.

US Vice President Kamala Harris: “President Jimmy Carter was guided by a deep and abiding faith in God, in America, and in humanity.

“Jimmy Carter’s life is a testament to the power of service as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, the 76th Governor of Georgia, and the 39th President of the United States. He reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion.”

US President-elect Donald Trump: “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.

“Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.”

Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi: “In this moment of sorrow, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of former American President Jimmy Carter, as well as to the President and the people of the United States of America.

“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. His enduring legacy ensures that he will be remembered as one of the world’s most prominent leaders in service to humanity.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “Deeply saddened by the passing of former USA President Mr. Jimmy Carter. A statesman of great vision, he worked tirelessly for global peace and harmony. His contributions to fostering strong India-US ties leave a lasting legacy. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the people of the US.”

Britain’s King Charles: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights.

His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977.

My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.“

French President Emmanuel Macron: “Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter has 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.”

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “Jimmy Carter’s legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me. My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones, and the American people who are mourning a former President and a lifelong humanitarian. May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come.”

Hostage crisis

On Nov 4, 1979, revolutionaries devoted to Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, seized the Americans present and demanded the return of the ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States and was being treated in a US hospital.

The American public initially rallied behind Carter. But his support faded in April 1980 when a commando raid failed to rescue the hostages, with eight US soldiers killed in an aircraft accident in the Iranian desert.

Carter’s final ignominy was that Iran held the 52 hostages until minutes after Reagan took his oath of office on Jan 20, 1981 to replace Carter, then released the planes carrying them to freedom.

In another crisis, Carter protested the former Soviet Union’s 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. He also asked the US Senate to defer consideration of a major nuclear arms accord with Moscow.

Unswayed, the Soviets remained in Afghanistan for a decade.

Carter won narrow Senate approval in 1978 of a treaty to transfer the Panama Canal to the control of Panama despite critics who argued the waterway was vital to American security. He also completed negotiations on full US ties with China.

Carter created two new US Cabinet departments — education and energy. Amid high gas prices, he said America’s “energy crisis” was “the moral equivalent of war” and urged the country to embrace conservation. “Ours is the most wasteful nation on earth,” he told Americans in 1977.

In 1979, Carter delivered what became known as his “malaise” speech to the nation, although he never used that word.

“After listening to the American people I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America,” he said in his televised address.

“The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America.”

As president, the strait-laced Carter was embarrassed by the behaviour of his hard-drinking younger brother, Billy Carter, who had boasted: “I got a red neck, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer.”

‘There you go again’

Jimmy Carter withstood a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination but was politically diminished heading into his general election battle against a vigorous Republican adversary.

Reagan, the conservative who projected an image of strength, kept Carter off balance during their debates before the November 1980 election.

Reagan dismissively told Carter, “There you go again,” when the Republican challenger felt the president had misrepresented Reagan’s views during one debate.

Carter lost the 1980 election to Reagan, who won 44 of the 50 states and amassed an Electoral College landslide.

James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, one of four children of a farmer and shopkeeper. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946, served in the nuclear submarine program and left to manage the family peanut farming business.

He married his wife, Rosalynn, in 1946, a union he called “the most important thing in my life”. They had three sons and a daughter.

Carter became a millionaire, a Georgia state legislator and Georgia’s governor from 1971 to 1975. He mounted an underdog bid for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination, and out-hustled his rivals for the right to face Ford in the general election.

With Walter Mondale as his vice presidential running mate, Carter was given a boost by a major Ford gaffe during one of their debates. Ford said that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration”, despite decades of just such domination.

Carter edged Ford in the election, even though Ford actually won more states — 27 to Carter’s 23.

Not all of Carter’s post-presidential work was appreciated. Former president George W. Bush and his father, former president George H.W. Bush, both Republicans, were said to have been displeased by Carter’s freelance diplomacy in Iraq and elsewhere.

In 2004, Carter called the Iraq war launched in 2003 by the younger Bush one of the most “gross and damaging mistakes our nation ever made”. He called George W. Bush’s administration “the worst in history” and said vice president Dick Cheney was “a disaster for our country”.

In 2019, Carter questioned Republican Donald Trump’s legitimacy as president, saying “he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf.” Trump responded by calling Carter “a terrible president.”

Carter also made trips to communist North Korea. A 1994 visit defused a nuclear crisis, as president Kim Il Sung agreed to freeze his nuclear program in exchange for resumed dialogue with the United States. That led to a deal in which North Korea, in return for aid, promised not to restart its nuclear reactor or reprocess the plant’s spent fuel.

But Carter irked Democratic president Bill Clinton’s administration by announcing the deal with North Korea’s leader without first checking with Washington.

In 2010, Carter won the release of an American sentenced to eight years of hard labour for illegally entering North Korea.

Carter wrote more than two dozen books, ranging from a presidential memoir to a children’s book and poetry, as well as works about religious faith and diplomacy. His book ‘Faith: A Journey for All’ was published in 2018.