Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to sub-Saharan Africa highlights the potential for the US to strengthen diplomatic and economic relationships in the region, particularly in securing minerals needed for clean energy. The three countries on her itinerary, Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia, are democracies with rich natural resources including lithium, nickel, copper, and cobalt. The US has a new priority in promoting investment in "friendly" countries to secure materials outside of China, which refines 80% of the world's lithium and 66% of its cobalt. China's dominance of the global critical minerals supply chain can be challenged by African minerals development, which can reorient the supply chain. Despite this potential, most African countries have had dismal recent economic performance. During her visit, Harris toured Ghana's Cape Coast slave castle and called for the history of enslaved people to be taught and remembered. Harris' visit is part of the Biden administration's pushback against China and their investment and diplomacy in the sub-continent. The US has a significant opportunity to leverage trade policy to their advantage and strengthen clean energy supply chains, particularly in light of China's investment in the area.