My speech at the 13^th Doha Forum in Qatar - the world’s foremost arena for discussions on democracy, development and free trade in the Middle East.

"At yesterday’s opening session the first speaker you heard from was a Scotsman, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown and now at today’s opening session you are being subjected to another Scotsman – you can see we are quite a persistent lot and not so easy to get rid of!

Moderator, Distinguished Guests, I believe that the title of today’s session highlights part of the problem with our thinking. Instead of focussing on the “Challenges Facing New Democracies in the Region” – I believe we should be viewing them as opportunities.

Winston Churchill first said:

“Never let a good crisis go to waste!”

With every challenge comes an opportunity.

Distinguished guests, from the outset I would like to say that I do not wish to lecture the emerging democracies in the Arab world on how to do democracy.

We in the West do not have a monopoly on wisdom – far from it, even though we sometimes too easily forget this lesson.  I think there are lessons that we can learn from Libya, Tunisia and Egypt and others as they embark on their respective constitutional journeys.

Journeys that have featured the mass mobilisation of young people, powered by social media and a desire for change.

This morning there are two aspects I would like to focus on that if they are cultivated properly they will be a great opportunity and a new beacon of light for the world emanating from the Middle East, however, if ignored will be a huge challenge in advancing social justice in the region.

Those two aspects are the young people in the region and the importance of inclusion and participation.

One of the biggest opportunities in this region, particularly with the Arab Spring, is the young people. Two-thirds of the population in the region is under the age of 30 – what a great opportunity but of course a great challenge too with youth unemployment at unacceptably high levels.

The Arab Spring and new democracies showed us the voice of the youth cannot be ignored.

Through embracing social media in particular, we saw a mechanism whereby young people could express themselves and their popular will. That popular will grew and became an unstoppable force. Where political veterans of the past had failed, young people succeeded in overthrowing some of the region’s most brutal dictators.

The danger is that those voices are ignored, the young people discarded and not included in the rebuilding of their nations. We will then find an entire lost generation who will turn against the very structures they helped create through their revolution.

Many of us have met and experienced the youth of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other Arab Spring countries and we will no doubt all agree that including them in the dialogue as new democracies are formed will only be of great benefit as their innovation, drive and determination will help those countries reach beyond the limits of their own ambitions.

The second aspect which I believe is a great opportunity if done correctly, however, a great challenge if not is the idea of true social inclusion of all elements of civic society. The concept of widening the tent to include as many voices – opposing or otherwise – to help us fulfil the ambitions of the popular will.

What distinguishes the dictatorship from the democracy is the tolerance of views that oppose you. What makes you a truly enlightened democracy is not only tolerating those opposing views but learning from them.

This is by no means a lesson for new democracies in this region but also for established democracies like the UK.

Next year Scotland will hold an historic referendum on her Independence on the 18^th September 2014. This will be the most important decision Scots make in 300 years, the opportunity for them to determine their own future.

We have a Scottish Government and UK Government completely ideologically opposed to each other on the independence question, however, still the theme of mutual respect and “inclusion” runs through our approach to Scotland’s constitutional future.

On 15 October 2012 the First Minister of Scotland and the Prime Minister of the UK signed the Edinburgh Agreement agreeing the terms of the independence referendum to be held next year.

Clause 30 of this agreement states that “both governments will work in the interest of the people regardless of the result”.

After the vote we are committed to maintaining this spirit of co-operation.

The first thing that we would do in the event of a Yes vote for Scotland’s independence referendum on 18 September 2014 will be to sit down on the 19^th September with those who were defeated in that vote to work out the best way forward in the mutual best interest of Scotland.

Many new democracies in the Arab world have already led the way with that approach, bringing in defeated opponents in elections but more importantly including as wide a section of the country as possible including women, minorities and young people in the rebuilding of their nation and writing their constitutions.

With that all the people will have ownership and truly feel a part of the fabric of their society – even when they disagree with certain decisions.

A famous slogan was adapted by the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and which I believe rings true for all of us involved in policy development – be we new or old Democracies:

“Nothing about us, without us, is for us”

The inclusion of Civic society is therefore one of the greatest opportunities this region has. If people are included in the development of policy and are able to participate in that process then we will flourish together.

As HH Emir said yesterday – Democracy is more than just going to the ballot box once every few years; a lesson we in the West could also learn from.

Distinguished guests, to conclude – although we must be realistic and pragmatic to the challenges this region faces, we must also be alert to the huge benefit and advantage the world will see if the opportunities present in new democracies are seized upon.

We cannot directly compare the situation in Scotland or the UK today with the situation in new democracies in the Middle East.  However, I think that there are lessons that we can learn to mutual benefit.

In Scotland we need to do more to increase participation, especially of young people, in our politics.

We need to learn more about how we can use digital media as a means of consulting with the youth, to make young people feel more engaged.

The challenges for the new democracies are many and varied.

However, in our experience, a framework that is, respectful of the views of others and respects social and political freedoms can help frame the environment in which peaceful transition can take place. More importantly than anything it must be inclusive of women, young people, minorities and even of our opponents.

That great campaigner for Justice Desmond Tutu said:

“If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”

With those wise words I have no doubt we can all, Arab or Non-Arab, overcome even the most difficult barriers put in front of us and achieve peace, reconciliation and freedom for all of our nations’ citizens.

OUR hard work ethic, friendly nature and competitive spirit mean that Glasgow is a thriving city with much to offer businesses.

This was demonstrated this week by the announcement by a French company, Webhelp TSC, that it is creating almost 300 new positions in Glasgow, and almost 100 more across the central belt.

These jobs will be in a contact centre in the city, which I imagine will be similar to the call centre I worked in during my time as a student.

Not only is this inward investment welcome news for Glasgow job seekers, it is excellent news for our young people, as Webhelp TSC has also established a training academy to promote youth employment.

Employees aged between 18 and 24 will begin their time with the company in the Customer Experience Academy, showing the company's commitment to ensuring its employees have the best skills for work and equipping them with the chance to make progress.

It is important that those entering the workforce for the first time are supported and encouraged, so they can take their first steps on the career ladder with confidence.

The Scottish Government is committed to helping young people into work.

It is good news that youth unemployment has fallen for the fifth successive month in Scotland, and as a whole the number of young people out of work has fallen by 29,000 in the last 12 months.

However, we must not be complacent – we should not rest while there are still young people who are not in work, training or education.

This SNP Government is doing all it can, with the powers it has, to help. It is meeting its promise to deliver 25,000 Modern Apprenticeships in every year of this Parliament: this year more than 19,500 Modern Apprenticeship starts were for 16-24 year olds.

It is disappointing that there was no mention of reducing youth unemployment in the Queen's Speech this week.

I can't wait for the day that any government in Scotland has the powers to invest in our young people, as opposed to spending money on nuclear weapons, tax cuts for the wealthiest and unelected peers.

It is also fitting that Webhelp TSC, a French company, has chosen to create hundreds of new jobs in Scotland in the same week that we celebrated Europe Day.

Glasgow was named Europe's top large "city of the future", showing how attractive we are to European businesses. Membership of the EU is extremely important for Glasgow and the whole of Scotland.

With the rise of UKIP in England and senior Tories urging the Prime Minister to bring forward a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU, a Yes vote in 2014 will safeguard Scotland's membership of the EU while the rest of the UK's is in doubt.

Yes, there must be EU reform but we hugely benefit from the good relationship with our EU neighbours.

LAST week marked two years since my election to represent the people of Glasgow in the Scottish Parliament. It is incredible how quickly time passes - it seems like yesterday that I was at the count, celebrating with my re-elected SNP colleagues and digesting the news that we had an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament. At the same time, it also seems that I have been an MSP for longer than two years, as so much has happened since May 5, 2011.

However, every day I remember how honoured and lucky I am to be in this position - it is never something I take for granted. For me, the most rewarding part of the job is engaging with Glaswegians, hearing about their struggles, the challenges they face and being able to learn from them and hopefully make a difference along the way. They say the best way to understand what people are going through is to walk a mile in their shoes.

I have been lucky to have had that opportunity ,which has helped me understand a number of issues better. Early on in my role, I spent a day shadowing a carer, who was the mother of two autistic children. I was mentally and physically exhausted after only 12 hours, and I left with a renewed sense of admiration and respect for carers.

I have volunteered with a number of charities, as I believe it is vital not to lose touch with the problems of the people I represent. I spent a day at Greater Pollok Citizens Advice Bureau, listening to users and talking with advisers, and came away with even more respect for this invaluable service. I also spent time with Starter Packs, a charity who provide help to homeowners in Glasgow who are not yet able to afford basic household items themselves. It was a real eye opener seeing families sleeping on floors with no furniture or beds in their home.

I experienced the work of a Big Issue vendor when I joined Peter on his pitch as part of International Street Paper Vendor Week. It showed me how important selling the magazine is to its vendors, and how it allows them to help turn their lives around. In turn each of these experiences allows me to use the parliament as a platform to raise issues close to the heart of our communities.

I have asked parliamentary questions about using derelict land in Glasgow, the provision of insulin pumps for Glaswegians with diabetes and potholes in our city's roads. The best feeling as an elected representative is getting a result for those we work for. It makes me very happy to receive a thank you card or a phone call at the end of a busy week from a constituent who we have helped to solve an issue or problem.

After two years serving Glasgow, I am excited at the prospect of continuing in the role until the next election. I also fully intend to go on as I have started: by listening to, engaging with and supporting Glaswegians to the best of my ability.

AS AN MSP for Glasgow, my priority is to serve the people who live in the city, and I always want what is best for it.

Earlier this year I was concerned about Glasgow City Council's plans for a radical redevelopment of George Square. Many proposals, including moving the iconic statues and monument that are such an integral part of George Square, were very unpopular.

Although I was frustrated with the lack of consultation by the council, I was greatly angered, along with many Glaswegians, when the entire process was abandoned so close to its conclusion.

It is unacceptable that £100,000 of public money was wasted on this project.

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson's personal involvement in the project has now been called further into question.

He has been reported to Scotland's ethics watchdog, the Public Standards Commission, over his handling of the design competition.

The allegations against Councillor Matheson are extremely serious. Last week the Evening Times reported he stands accused of interfering in a legally binding procurement process, improper bias, attempted staff coercion and of trying to "steer" the contest in favour of his preferred design.

A member of the public has also lodged a formal complaint with Police Scotland calling for an investigation into allegations of interference into the design contest.

This whole debacle has left many Glaswegians frustrated and disappointed with their local representatives.

I believe Gordon Matheson has a duty to meet the public's expectation of transparency and clarity in his handling of the redevelopment.

The council is a powerful body responsible for running many vital public services and dictates how large budgets are spent.

Trust in politicians is already at an all-time low, but many of us are working hard to repair this damaged reputation.

The allegation against the city's council leader will leave many Glaswegians feeling that they cannot trust him or the administration.

We will await the decision of the Public Standards Commission's probe,

However, if it is found the council leader abused his power then his position will be untenable.

I hope for all of our sakes this was not the case.

ON a side note, I would like to congratulate Glasgow's Sikh community on the opening of the first purpose-built Gurdwara in Scotland.

Driving through Pollokshields, the magnificent building has already established itself as a beautiful landmark on the skyline.

The Sikh religion is built upon the values of equality; I have no doubt the new Gudwara – where Sikhs meet for congregational worship– will benefit all communities in Glasgow and beyond.