Decolonising water resource allocations: towards a typology of experiences in small island developing states

• Colonial legacies shape water resource allocation in Small Island Developing States. • Indigenous presence and water abundance affect decolonisation outcomes. • Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, and Cabo Verde show varied decolonisation experiences. • Calls for context-specific decolonisation, not one-size-fits-all approaches. This paper explores the role of colonial legacies on contemporary water resource allocations in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and current experiences with decolonisation processes. Drawing on three case studies − Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, and Cabo Verde − the article provides a typology of SIDS’ experiences in decolonising their water resources – maintenance of the status quo, de jure but no de facto change, and de facto change. The paper argues that differences in decolonisation outcomes can be partly explained by the existence of Indigenous populations prior to colonisation, as well as the relative abundance of water resources. The findings highlight the context-specific nature of decolonising water resources and caution against one-size-fits-all approaches pushed by international institutions. The paper calls for further research on how global financial and aid agencies influence water governance in postcolonial SIDS contexts, where fiscal constraints and dependence on external actors pose additional challenges to equitable water allocations.