As part of the national celebrations marking 50 years of Angola’s independence, the government of Angola honored individuals and partners who have made exceptional contributions to the country’s development and progress.
H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, president of Angola, awarded Haim Taib, founder and president of the Menomadin and Mitrelli Group, the Peace and Development Medal in acknowledgment of his long-standing partnership with Angola and his contribution to strengthening the nation’s economic and social foundations.
Taib, a businessman, investor, and philanthropist, has worked and led over 100 national-scale projects and mobilized investments that have improved lives and supported sustainable growth across the continent for more than 35 years.
Arriving in Angola in 1991 during the country’s civil war, Taib recognized the country’s resilience and potential, beginning his work with a vision to transform peace into progress and hope into opportunity, mobilizing financial and human resources and contributing to the country during an economically and socially challenging period.
Following the war, joining different sides of the conflict with a shared purpose, he succeeded in implementing self-sustaining communities based on food production.
From that foundation, Taib led the next phase of growth through his ecosystem of companies, including Mitrelli, Luminar, Menomadin, and JETA, becoming a strategic partner with Angola across major sectors, water, food security, energy, and housing, and continuing in education, healthcare, and technology.
He implemented major national solutions, including water for all residents, advanced hospitals, entrepreneur centers, and vocational schools, and launched major operations in telecommunications and social impact.
In 2025, building on three decades of partnership, he co-founded the Lobito Corridor Impact Development (LCID) Platform together with Angola’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, a $1 billion private-sector-led initiative, with $100 million already committed.
The platform represents a new generation of financing mechanisms that blend public purpose with private capital, unlocking infrastructure, trade, agriculture, and education across Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Over the years, these projects have created tens of thousands of jobs, brought electricity and water to millions, built new homes and hospitals, and empowered youth through innovation, education, and culture.
“This recognition belongs as much to the people of Angola as it does to me,” said Taib. “It is a tribute to our shared belief that when people can dream, they can create. They can change. They can build their future with their own hands. I share this honor with everyone in our group, the wonderful people whose dedication, values, and belief in this vision have brought it to life and continue to do so every day.”