President Hosni Mubarak will not attend this year's annual African Union (AU) summit in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Instead, Prime Minister Ahmad Nazif will be representing Egypt at the summit in the president's stead.

The AU mentioned in a statement that the 2011 summit’s theme is "Towards Greater Unity and Integration through Shared Values."

The 16th summit will be preceded by the 21st Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and the 18th session of the Executive Council on 24 and 27 January respectively.

Relations between Egypt and Ethiopia have been tense lately especially after Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi accused Cairo of supporting Ethiopian rebel groups in an effort to destabilise the country.

Mubarak has categorically denied Zenawi’s allegations.