UN Expert Advocates for Embedded Multipolarity in Global Order

George Katrougalos, the United Nations expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, has urged world leaders to adopt a framework he terms “embedded multipolarity.” In a report presented to the Human Rights Council, Katrougalos warned that the current trend of unilateral coercive measures and geopolitical fragmentation is eroding the foundational principles of the UN Charter. He describes this emerging dynamic as a diverse, non-hegemonic distribution of power that operates within the multilateral normative framework of the UN system.

According to the report, the concept serves as a corrective to the increasing use of sanctions and tariffs as tools for regime change or coercive diplomacy. The expert highlighted that while the Security Council recognizes targeted sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter, such measures must not violate fundamental rights to food, health, and human dignity. Katrougalos emphasized that the current landscape threatens the integrity of the international legal order by prioritizing unilateral power over collective security.

Sanctions as Coercive Diplomacy

The report points to an expanding reliance on economic pressure in contexts such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. Katrougalos noted that these measures are often employed to coerce a change in government administration rather than to maintain peace. This approach, according to the expert, systematically weakens the targeted country's ability to fulfill its obligations toward its citizens, leading to what he describes as concrete humanitarian catastrophes rather than abstract threats to sovereignty.

This assessment aligns with the International Court of Justice’s judgment in the case concerning military and paramilitary activities in and against Nicaragua. The Court held that coercive measures designed to deprive a state of its freedom of choice in political and economic systems constitute prohibited intervention under customary international law. The UN expert argues that contemporary unilateral sanctions regimes meet this threshold, effectively bypassing multilateral oversight mechanisms.

Financial Compliance Chilling Effects

Beyond direct state-to-state coercion, the report highlights the extraterritorial reliance of domestic financial institutions on compliance standards. Katrougalos described this as creating a “compliance chilling effect” that disproportionately affects developing nations. This dynamic restricts access to international banking services, hinders remittance flows, and pushes back direct foreign investments that are essential for sustainable development in vulnerable economies.

Recent Escalations in Trade Policy

These concerns arise amid a significant increase in sanctions and tariffs issued by the United States since President Donald Trump returned to power in 2025. Recent actions have targeted countries including Iran, Canada, China, and Mexico, as well as foreign entities accused of supporting Iran. In early August, the US government also issued sanctions against the ICC President, prosecutors, and staff members, a move challenged by Human Rights Watch in a US District Court.

The situation underscores a growing tension between national security policies and international human rights obligations. As noted in analysis from GN geopolitics/rights (en-US), the push for embedded multipolarity suggests a desire to move away from hegemonic power structures toward a more balanced, rule-based system. The forward question remains how member states will respond to these calls for structural reform while navigating ongoing geopolitical rivalries and economic pressures.