CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE'S NEW PRESIDENT, MARIEN NGOUABI, ACCOMPANIED BY PRIME MINISTER ALFRED RAOUL ON THURSDAY (JANUARY 23) LEFT BRAZZAVILLE FOR A TOUR OF DUOUE REGION IN THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY. IT WAS THE FIRST TOUR AWAY FROM THE CAPITAL UNDERTAKEN BY PRESIDENT NGOUABI SINCE HIS NOMINATION BY THE RULING BODY - THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE REVOLUTION - ON NEW YEAR'S DAY (JANUARY 1).

DURING HIS TOUR, PRESIDENT NGOUABI WAS EXPECTED TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITIES OF INSTALLING MILITARY CAMPS ALONG THE COUNTRY'S FRONTIER ZONES. BOTH HE AND THE PRIME MINISTER WERE EXPECTED TO RETURN TO BRAZZAVILLE TOMORROW (SUNDAY).

PRESIDENT NGOUABI'S APPOINTMENT FOLLOWED THE ARMY-LED UPRISING LAST JULY WHEN THE REGIME OF PRESIDENT ALPHONSE MASSAMBA-DEBAT WAS DEPOSED.

THE PRESIDENT WAS PRIME MINISTER WERE GREETED BY OFFICIALS AND TOOK THE SALUTE FROM A GUARD OF HONOUR BEFORE BOARDING A HELICOPTER TO TAKE THEM TO MINDOULI ON THE FIRST OF THEIR TOUR.