CAIRO — During a televised press conference on Wednesday, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly had to momentarily halt his speech due to feeling lightheaded, according to a government representative.

The incident occurred while Madbouly, 58, was delivering his weekly Cabinet briefing at the new administrative capital in Cairo. He reportedly gripped the microphone stand and requested a brief break after feeling unwell.

Cabinet spokesperson Mohamed el-Homsani mentioned that the prime minister experienced dizziness but was able to recover quickly and continued the briefing after a short pause.

At the time, Madbouly was discussing President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s recent engagements both domestically and internationally.

El-Homsani explained that Madbouly had been fatigued after suffering from a significant cold just days prior. He had chosen not to take time to rest, and after a late finish in the office on Tuesday, he attended several meetings the following Wednesday morning before the press conference. Furthermore, the spokesperson indicated that the prime minister is currently on medication, which includes antibiotics.

Madbouly, who has a background in architecture, has served as prime minister since 2018.

Additionally, Egypt is preparing to host an economic cooperation summit in Cairo on Thursday, which will involve participation from eight countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Nigeria, and Turkey.