Haiti's president heads to Washington to talk aid

Haiti's president heads to Washington to talk aid

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- Haitian President Rene Preval is heading to the U.S. to discuss what is needed to rebuild his shattered country. Preval says he plans to personally thank President Barack Obama on Wednesday for the private and public U.S. aid that flooded into the country after the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people. The Haitian president told reporters before leaving Monday that he also hopes to discuss what next steps are needed for reconstruction. He says Haiti needs help with job creation and less donated food, which can undermine local producers. Preval's trip includes meetings with Secretary of State Clinton, Attorney General Eric Holder and the head of USAID. _Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed._