WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)— Joe Biden led US presidents and other world leaders in paying tribute to Jimmy Carter following the centenarian’s death.

The peace-making Nobel laureate haunted by the 1979 Iran hostage crisis arguably wielded his greatest influence not during his 1977-1981 White House term, but in the decades following as he served as a global mediator, rights activist and elder statesman.

“America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” Biden said in a statement Sunday.

He added in a televised address that Carter “lived a life measured not by words, but by his deeds.”

“We’d all do well to try and be a little more like Jimmy Carter.”

President-elect Donald Trump said Americans owe Carter “a debt of gratitude.”

“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,” he said on social media.

Former US president Bill Clinton said Carter had “worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.”

George W Bush said the Democrat had “dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency.”

Barack Obama hailed Carter for teaching “all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice and service.”

The 39th US president “was early to recognise that protecting our shared planet and promoting global public health were vital to national security interests,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Pope Francis “was saddened to learn” of Carter’s death, recalling his “firm commitment, motivated by deep Christian faith, to the cause of reconciliation and peace between peoples, the defence of human rights and the welfare of the poor and those in need,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state.

Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised 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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Carter would be remembered for the deal, calling it “a peace treaty that has held for nearly half a century and offers hope for future generations.”

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he was mourning “the first American president to recognise the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for Carter’s “noble legacy” to live on.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said with the death of Carter, “the United States lost a fighter for democracy. The world lost a great mediator for peace in the Middle East and for human rights.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Carter “was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me.”

Mexico’s ministry of foreign affairs called Carter’s death a “regrettable loss.”

Britain’s head of state King Charles III said Carter’s “dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many,” while Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to the US leader’s “lifelong dedication to peace.”

In Panama, where Carter reached an agreement to hand over the Panama Canal, then under US control, President Jose Mulino praised the Democrat for helping his country achieve “full sovereignty.”

Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva hailed Carter as “a lover of democracy and defender of peace,” noting his pressuring of Brazil’s dictatorship to release political prisoners.

“He will be remembered forever as a name that defends the idea that peace is the most important condition for development,” Lula said.

Though many focused on his time in office, from 1977-1981, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted Carter’s “unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked aggression.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said Carter had “been a steadfast advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and has tirelessly fought for peace.”

In China, where Carter’s administration normalised diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1978, leader Xi Jinping said he was “deeply saddened.”

Carter “had long made significant contributions to advancing the development of China-US ties and fostering friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries”, state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi as saying.