Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100. Former President of the United States, committed philanthropist and tireless defender of human rights, he leaves behind a legacy that has marked American and international politics.
Originally from the small town of Plains, Georgia, James Earl Carter, Jr., known as Jimmy Carter, was born on 1er October 1924. Coming from a modest family, he grew up in an agricultural environment and developed a deep attachment to the values of work, honesty and compassion.
His political career began in 1963, when he was elected a Georgia state senator. He quickly acquired the reputation of a politician with integrity and concern for the well-being of his fellow citizens. He then served as governor of Georgia (1970 -1975). On December 12, 1974, he announced his candidacy for president of the United States, winning his party’s nomination on the first ballot at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. He was elected president on November 2, 1976, winning that election with 50.1% of the popular vote against 48% for Gerald Ford (Republican Party) and 0.9% for Eugene McCarthy (independent). By winning the election to the presidency of the United States, he established himself as a man of the people, a bringer of hope and change.
39th President of the United States (1977-1981)
He was the 39th President of the United States, from January 20, 1977 (date of his inauguration) to January 20, 1981. His presidency was marked by various major events.
One of the highlights of Jimmy Carter’s presidency was his efforts to promote peace in the Middle East. Jimmy Carter was in fact the architect of the Camp David Accords, two framework agreements signed on September 17, 1978, by Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, under the mediation of Jimmy Carter, after thirteen days negotiations at Camp David, the official vacation spot of the presidents of the United States. Agreements which will establish the conditions for peace between Egypt and Israel and which will be followed by the first Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty signed on March 26, 1979, putting an end to thirty years of belligerence. This “Pax Americana” of 1979 will allow Egypt to benefit from considerable American economic and military aid.
We also remember from the presidency of Jimmy Carter the treaties on the Panama Canal (a canal which we talk about a lot with the latest positions of Donald Trump).
September 7, 1977 is the date of the treaties Torrijos-Carter, two agreements signed at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS), in Washington. Came into force on 1er October 1979, they abrogated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty of 1903 relating to control of the American zone of the Panama Canal and guaranteed the return of this American zone to the Panamanian authorities within twenty years.
A presidency also marked by negotiations on the limitation of strategic arms: negotiations carried out between the United States and the USSR, known by the acronym SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks), and which resulted in the SALT I and SALT II treaties. Jimmy Carter also worked to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
In terms of domestic policy, he will have marked his presidency with an energy program led by a new Ministry of Energy, major educational programs under a new Ministry of Education, but also laws on the protection of the environment.
Jimmy Carter’s presidency ended with the 1980 presidential elections. He was then defeated by Republican candidate Ronald Reagan.
The Carter Center : peace, democracy, human rights
After leaving the White House, the former president and former first lady, Rosalynn Carter, founded, in 1982, the Carter Centera non-governmental organization, whose stated objectives are: “(…) improve the lives of people in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advance democracy and human rights; prevent disease; and improving mental health care. »
Peace programs are instituted by the foundation. Jimmy Carter has acted as a mediator in numerous international conflicts, notably in Ethiopia and Eritrea (1989), in North Korea (1994), in Haiti (1994), in Sudan and Uganda (1999), since 2003 in the Middle -East, or in Mali since 2018. The former president also played an active role in election observation operations in many countries, thus contributing to strengthening democratic processes and promoting electoral transparency.
Member of Habitat for Humanity
Building affordable housing was an important aspect of his life after the presidency. In 1984, Jimmy Carter and his wife became volunteer members ofHabitat for Humanity. For more than 35 years, until 2019, Jimmy Carter used his notoriety to raise awareness of the housing crisis and help build homes for families in need. So, according to Habitat for HumanityJimmy Carter and his wife worked alongside more than 100,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair more than 4,000 homes.
Nobel Peace Prize (2002)
Jimmy Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 2002. The Nobel Committee awarded him this prize “ for decades of tireless efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development “. In its press release, the committee then emphasized that “ In a situation frequently marked by threats of the use of power, (Jimmy) Carter held to the principles of resolving conflicts wherever possible through mediation and international cooperation based on international law, respect for the rights of man and economic development “.
“(…) spend the time he had left at home with his family”
In a press release published by The Carter Center, On August 12, 2015, Jimmy Carter revealed that he was suffering from advanced stage cancer, then a few months later, in December of the same year, he announced his recovery. In November 2019, he was hospitalized twice.
On February 18, 2023, after several hospital stays, a press release from Carter Center had announced that the former president was receiving palliative care at his home: “ After a series of short hospital stays, former US President Jimmy Carter decided today to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive palliative care instead of surgery additional medical care. (…) “.
Jimmy Carter, who died today, leaves behind a lasting legacy of public service and dedication to the cause of those most in need. He was at the same time a visionary statesman, a passionate humanitarian, a model of engaged citizenship, and a true icon of diplomacy.
