First conference of Arab ministries of science heads of national science policy organizations was held in Baghdad in 1974, and an Arab League educational culture and scientific organization was formed to promote Arab culture, including science and technology. Most of the Arab states have had the science policy, machinery and programmes emphasising applied research. Egypt established science council in 1956, evolved a national research plan for the universities. Ministry of Scientific Research replaced Supreme Council of Scientific Research in 1968. In 1971 Academy of Scientific Research and Technology was founded, which formulated science policy and supported research and technology through grants. It coordinates major projects participating in the development of science curricula, scientific conferences, publications and popularization of science. It is also responsible for a number of research institutions in such areas as atomic energy, oceanography, petroleum and metallurgical research. Trained persons are the main need of the Arab countries. Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan are the resource basis of scientific manpower. In Lebanon, National Council for Scientific Research was established in 1962. The projects funded by the council were for the development of high protein, vitamins, mineral biscuits. Isolating and analyzing of active elements from Lebanese plants used in folk medicine, industrial production of fish and mollusks and research on processing of surplus fruit crops were included in the studies.