Haiti's president-elect Rene Preval traveled to the Dominican Republic on Thursday on his first trip abroad since his election, reports reaching here said.

After arriving in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, Preval said he chose the neighbouring country for his first foreign visit in order to show that "we are convinced that we will maintain our friendship with the Dominican people."

During his stay in Santo Domingo, the president-elect is expected to hold talks with Dominican officials to discuss the plight of Haitian immigrants in the country.

Between 500,000 and one million Haitians are living in the Dominican Republic, mostly working on sugar plantations and doing construction work.

Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council declared on On Feb. 16 that the 63-year-old Preval won an outright first-round victory in the Feb. 7 presidential election.

Source: Xinhua