 Khouna returned to Mauritania and joined the civil service, serving as director of the fisheries company Societe Mauritanienne de Commercialisation du Popsson (SMCP) from 1984 to 1992.He was Director of the Algerian-Mauritanian Fishing Company from 1992 to 1993, then became Secretary-General of the Mauritanian Ministry of Fishing in 1994.He was subsequently appointed to the government as Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy on February 21, 1995.