[291]

Carter (third from left) with Martti Ahtisaari, William Hague, and Lakhdar Brahimi from The Elders group in London, July 24, 2013.
In 2006, Carter stated his disagreements with the domestic and foreign policies of Israel while saying he was in favor of the country,[292][293] extending his criticisms to Israel's policies in Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza.[294]
In July 2007, Carter joined Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa, to announce his participation in The Elders, a group of independent global leaders who work together on peace and human rights issues.[295][296] Following the announcement, Carter participated in visits to Darfur,[297] Sudan,[298][299] Cyprus, the Korean Peninsula, and the Middle East, among others.[300] Carter attempted traveling to Zimbabwe in November 2008, but was stopped by President Robert Mugabe's government.[301] In December 2008, Carter met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,[302][303] and in a June 2012 call with Jeffery Brown, stressed Egyptian military generals could take full executive and legislative power to form a new constitution favoring themselves if their announced intentions came true.[304]
On August 10, 2010, Carter traveled to North Korea to secure the release of Aijalon Gomes, successfully negotiating his release.