Egypt's President Mubarak not attending African summit

Cairo: Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will not go to an African Union summit after officials had cited his planned attendance as proof of his good health.

State media reported on Saturday that Mubarak had delegated Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to represent Egypt at the summit in Uganda, which is expected to address the sensitive issue of sharing Nile waters.

In effort to discount intensifying rumours over the 82-year-old's deteriorating health, government officials on July 14 cited the president's packed schedule, including the African summit, as evidence of his continuing vigor.

On Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Sulaiman Awwad again dismissed reports Mubarak was ill and said his staff were "out of breath" trying to keep up with his schedule.