 Stephen Kinzer, reporting for the New York Times in 2001 wrote “Before Afghanistan became a focused attention, James and Joseph Ritchie spent much of this year trying to persuade the Bush Administration to embrace their efforts.” Peter Tomsen, former special envoy to Afghanistan was quoted saying in reference to the Ritchie brothers that they “went into a vacuum left by the US Government.We had no policy on Afghanistan in the two Clinton Administrations and the Bush Administration didn’t pay attention to Afghanistan until September 11.”

Some of the plan was never put into action, due to the death of Abdul Haq in 2001.The State Department later said, “We know the Ritchies were working with Adbul Haq and other Afghans…we have no objections at all.”

After meeting the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame in 2003, Ritchie decided immediately to partner with President Kagame to develop the Rwandan economy in the wake of the 1994 genocide.