This paper looks at the recurring security crises in Northern Mali since the independence of the country in September 1960. It is structured around three main sections. In the first, I provide a brief historical overview of the repeated security crises in the country, particularly in its northern regions, through the four main waves of these crises, highlighting their main explanatory factors and triggers and paying particular attention to the current and fourth wave that started in late 2011. The second section considers the efforts of various regional and international actors in the resolution of the current wave – both political/diplomatic and military – with a focus on those of the African Union (AU). In the third and concluding section, I take stock of all the above and try to draw some lessons that could be learned from these crises and the efforts of various actors