Regarding #2, it's likely that Omicron did not emerge in Africa but elsewhere. South Africa has the best genetic surveillance on the planet which is why they're picking up evidence of new variants more often than other countries.
https://twitter.com/MaxCRoser/status/1465970246934749188/pho...
If this had been circulating in Europe, North America, or South America before Africa, we'd know. If it came from Asia or the Middle East, it'd be quite odd that it didn't get exported to Europe but just to Asia. It's overwhelmingly likely that it originated somewhere in Southern Africa, though the exact country will be anybody's guess right now.