In this episode of Micro Journeys, host Daniel Marrujo sits down with Hap Harlow, Director of the Defense Cooperation Division for Army Forces Africa, live from the Africa Land Forces Summit in Rome, Italy. Hap brings a rare and grounded perspective on the intersection of defense, economics, and global investment, unpacking why Africa — often mischaracterized as an untapped continent — is in fact a sovereign powerhouse of resources, talent, and strategic opportunity that the United States and its allies can no longer afford to overlook.
Daniel and Hap dig deep into the critical minerals race reshaping global supply chains, from lithium and gold to rare earth elements found almost exclusively in Africa, and explore how private capital, venture funding, and public-private partnerships are beginning to converge in a space that was once the exclusive domain of governments. With competitors like China already embedded across the continent, the conversation raises urgent questions about whether American investors and defense industry partners are moving fast enough to secure meaningful footholds in one of the world’s most strategically vital regions.
Hap outlines how the transition from aid to trade, paired with workforce development modeled on military training pipelines, offers a blueprint for sustainable, bilateral investment that benefits both African nations and U.S. defense and economic interests.