South African president hails Jimmy Carter's stance against apartheid

JOHANNESBURG

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday praised former US President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, for his strong stance against apartheid and his support for Palestine.

Describing Carter as an outstanding, compassionate leader and champion of human rights and global peace, Ramaphosa said he was deeply saddened by his death.

“Jimmy Carter was an outspoken critic of the apartheid state (in South Africa) at a time when the regime was trying to ingratiate itself with influential economies around the world and justify its inhumane policies,” Ramaphosa said in a statement shared on X.

He noted that Carter holds a "special place" in South Africa’s history as a founding member of The Elders, a group of global leaders established on President Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday in 2007 to serve as independent moral voices advocating for peace and leadership.

Ramaphosa highlighted Carter’s record of involvement in various peace negotiations and his clear recognition of the denial of fundamental human rights and statehood to the Palestinian people as a form of apartheid.

Carter was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development,” Ramaphosa added, noting South Africa’s celebration of Carter’s enduring legacy and ideas.

Carter, the longest-lived US president, served from January 1977 to January 1981. He is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. His wife, Rosalynn, died in 2023.

A state funeral will be held in Washington, D.C., according to President Joe Biden, who said the US and the world have lost an "extraordinary" leader, statesman, and humanitarian.

“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe,” Biden said in a statement.

President-elect Donald Trump also paid tribute to Carter, acknowledging the challenges he faced during a pivotal time for the US and noting that he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans.

“For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

“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.”