200806301839 | Zambia's President Mwanawasa rushed to hospital

Zambia's President Mwanawasa rushed to hospital

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt - Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa was rushed to hospital in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday after a health emergency, Egyptian health sources and state media said. Mwanawasa, 59, in Egypt to attend the African Union summit, had experienced sharp chest pains but was in a stable condition, said Saeed Eissa, ambulance director for the southern Sinai peninsula.

Another Egyptian health source said Mwanawasa appeared to have suffered a heart problem, but gave no further details. Egypt's state news agency MENA said that Mwanawasa had a "sudden health problem".

The African summit, due to begin on Monday, is expected to focus largely on the post-election crisis in Zimbabwe.

President Robert Mugabe was sworn in on Sunday for a new term after a one-candidate election widely condemned internationally.

Mwanawasa, the current chair of the Southern African Development Community, expressed understanding for Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai after he pulled out of Friday's presidential election.