Rionegro’s Mayor Visits Harrison County to Renew Sister City Agreement
In a continued effort to expand international relationships and foster cultural and economic exchange, Harrison County Development Commission (HCDC) proudly hosted the Honorable Jorge Humberto Rivas, Mayor of Rionegro, Colombia, and his family for a three-day visit to Coastal Mississippi from July 28–30, 2025.
This visit marked the next chapter in a relationship that began in 2018, when representatives from Rionegro traveled to Coastal Mississippi to explore opportunities in air cargo. That initial meeting led to a 2019 delegation from Harrison County visiting Colombia, where leaders from Gulfport and Biloxi signed the region’s first sister city agreement with Rionegro. Notably, the former mayor of Rionegro at the time, Andrés Julián, is now the governor of Antioquia.
Now, with new leadership in place, the visit provided an opportunity to reaffirm and expand the sister city partnership, centered around shared goals in trade, tourism, and student exchange programs.
A Look Back at the Visit
Mayor Rivas and his family were welcomed to Harrison County on Monday, July 28, with a Welcome Reception and dinner at Carter Green in the Island View Casino. Among the guests were Mayor Keating of Gulfport, Mayor Gilich of Biloxi, and former Mayor Hewes of Gulfport, who signed the original agreement in 2019. Also in attendance were Colombian natives, Captain Ana Franco of the SeaBee Base in Gulfport and her husband, Edwin Franco.
On Tuesday, July 29, the couple toured key landmarks in Biloxi, including the Mardi Gras Museum and the Seafood Museum. The day’s highlight was the Sister City Signing Ceremony at the Biloxi Visitors Center, joining the cities of Biloxi, Gulfport, and Rionegro in a renewed commitment to collaborate. The signing was followed by a reception and dinner at Phōnicia in Ocean Springs, capped off with a fun stop at Buc-ee’s.
Wednesday focused on Gulfport, starting with a port operations briefing by Port of Gulfport’s COO, Shawn Myers, and Counsel, Errol Larue. The visit concluded at Black Jack Ranch, courtesy of HCDC Commissioners John Carter and Jimmy Levins.
Looking Ahead
This visit highlighted the importance of global relationships at the local level. Partnerships like the one with Rionegro are key to unlocking new opportunities in economic development, tourism, education, and cultural exchange.
We extend our sincere thanks to Mayor Rivas and his family for their visit, and to the mayors of Gulfport and Biloxi and their teams for their support and collaboration.
