Following the 22 March coup d'etat in Mali, Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced that the EU executive suspends temporarily its development operations in the country until the situation clarifies. This decision does not affect humanitarian aid. For 2008-2013, the European Commission planned to allocate €583 million of development aid to Mali. Pieblags reiterated the call of High Representative Catherine Ashton for a speedy resolution of the crisis, the restoration of constitutional order and the holding of democratic elections as soon as possible.