▁Rel ations ▁between ▁Italy ▁and ▁Lib ya ▁war med ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁de cade ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁when ▁they ▁entered ▁co - oper ative ▁arrang ements ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁illegal ▁imm igration ▁into ▁Italy . ▁Lib ya ▁agreed ▁to ▁ag gress ively ▁prevent ▁migr ants ▁from ▁sub - S ah aran ▁Africa ▁from ▁using ▁the ▁country ▁as ▁a ▁trans it ▁route ▁to ▁Italy , ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁foreign ▁aid ▁and ▁Italy ' s ▁successful ▁attempts ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁lift ▁its ▁trade ▁san ctions ▁on ▁Lib ya . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁G add af i ▁and ▁Italian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Sil v io ▁Ber lus con i ▁signed ▁a ▁historic ▁co operation ▁treat y ▁in ▁Beng h azi . ▁Under ▁its ▁terms , ▁Italy ▁would ▁pay ▁$ 5 ▁billion ▁to ▁Lib ya ▁as ▁compens ation ▁for ▁its ▁former ▁military ▁occupation . ▁In ▁exchange , ▁Lib ya ▁would ▁take ▁measures ▁to ▁combat ▁illegal ▁imm igration ▁coming ▁from ▁its ▁sh ores ▁and ▁boost ▁invest ments ▁in ▁Italian ▁companies . ▁The ▁treat y ▁was ▁rat ified ▁by ▁Italy ▁on ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁by ▁Lib ya ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March , ▁during ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁Tri pol i ▁by ▁Ber lus con i . ▁Co operation ▁ended ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁Lib yan ▁Civil ▁War ▁which ▁over th rew ▁G add af i . ▁At ▁the ▁signing ▁ceremony